


The Erased Chronicles

by LastationLover5000



Series: The Erased Chronicles [1]
Category: Dragon Ball
Genre: Alternate Universe, F/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2014-05-30
Updated: 2015-06-01
Packaged: 2018-03-20 21:04:28
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 18
Words: 117,948
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3664938
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LastationLover5000/pseuds/LastationLover5000
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>And here we are at chapter two! Glad to see everyone could make it, because now we're really starting the story and we're about to pick up steam! As with before, lemme get just a few things out of the way; first off, Kinto'un is the Japanese name for the Flying Nimbus Cloud that Goku owns. It literally means "Somersault Cloud"...creative genius on the part of Toriyama, really. I'd also like to apologize to anyone whose is reading this, plays baseball, and thinks the baseball scene is a little clunky. I do not play the sport myself, and it was a very difficult scene to write. Something else you all will notice is that this does carry on from some of the canon material in the series; there will be chapters like that, that tie directly into the canon, but I promise to do my best to work in original dialogue, and given this is Gohan and Erasa's story, their reaction to events will be key!</p><p>I'd like to give a thanks to my friend, Mangetsu20, who helped me with the baseball terms this chapter, as well as gave it the first read before I put it up on the website, to make sure it was shipshape! I'll see you all in chapter 3, so hang tight!</p>
        </blockquote>





	1. Two Stars, One City

" _I am Cell. I have a message for all the people of Earth. Now pay attention to what I say. Your boring lives are about to get a lot more interesting, thanks to me. I have enjoyed terrorizing Earth, but now I have something far more entertaining planned for this pathetic planet. For those who don't remember me, take a close look at my face. The big monster of Nicky Town. I am the evolved form of that creature, and I owe it all to this worthless planet for providing me with the bio-extract I needed. But the reason I am here is to announce my decision to hold a martial arts tournament. I am calling this competition the 'Cell Games'. Catchy little title, don't you think?_  
   
The Cell Games will be held nine days from today at Area S.5, 28 miles northeast of Eastern City. There, you will find an arena that I have designed myself. I modeled it after the one used in the original World Martial Art's tournament.  I believe it is the ideal location to crush my competitors. Bring me your best fighters, and I will face them one-by-one in a contest of strength. This is the last chance for Planet Earth. If I am not defeated, it belongs to me! My competitors will have the advantage, since I won't be able to rest between matches, and my new opponents can enter the competition immediately.   
  
The rules will be the same as the World Martial Arts Tournament. If you give up, or your body touches the outside of the ring, you lose, and, though I will try to avoid this, if you die, you will, of course, be disqualified. I hope I haven't frightened any of you from playing the Cell Games. Now that you know where the competition will be, all you have to do is find the courage to show up. Hahahahahahahaha....come and get me if you dare!  
  
Now. Let the games begin! The tournament starts in nine days...good luck!"  
  
Fear. Terror. Uncertainty.   
  
These were the feelings that swept throughout Planet Earth. In the wake of only the past few days, terror continued to sweep the planet. The biological monstrosity who called himself "Cell" had been terrorizing the Earth, going from a boogeyman who hid in the shadows, absorbing the life energy of humans, to a true threat who had the entire planet running scared.    
  
But there was a glimmer of hope.   
  
In a strange twist of fate, Cell had announced a tournament; the "Cell Games", as he called it. If the Earth's greatest fighters could defeat Cell in this tournament of his, the Earth would be saved. With a period of nine guaranteed days left to live, the entire populace of Earth seemed to have gone into hiding, with only a select few having the courage to stand up to the monster.  
  
Among these few was a young boy named Son Gohan, the son of Son Goku. This boy in question was currently flying over the mountainside at breakneck speeds. At his father's insistence, they were to spend the remaining days waiting for the Cell Games relaxing, and not training. While Gohan couldn't understand his father's motivations, he placed his faith in him, hoping he had something to back up his attitude.   
  
"I think I'm almost there...!" The boy, currently a pale blonde with bright green eyes — in a state of Passive Super Saiyan — thought aloud as he flew straight over the forest. After a great deal of pestering from his father and himself, Chi-Chi finally relented and allowed Gohan to take a visit over to Orange Star City. The hybrid had never been to a city before, and given his father insisted they didn't train at all, it seemed like the perfect chance to take a trip.  
  
"There it is!" The boy gasped as the sight of Orange Star City; the sprawling metropolis, named for one of the magical orbs known as "Dragon Balls", was unlike anything Gohan had ever seen. Skyscrapers, small buildings, parks, streets crowded with people and cars, it was so much to take in. The young Saiyan descended to the ground, looking around in awe. "It's so...crowded," He finished lamely, trying to find the words to match his astonishment. "Unlike the villages I've been to before, this place isn't deserted. And there's so much to do...I don't know where to start looking!"  
  


* * *

  
**Orange Star Primary School**  
  
A short-haired, blonde girl with bright, curious blue-eyes sighed theatrically as she left her classroom with her friend. These two were Erasa and Videl, two girls who had been friends since childhood. The two girls headed to their lockers, trying to pretend nothing was on their minds. But in truth, there was something nagging at these girls.   
  
Cell.   
  
Not a day ago, the monster known as Cell had announced the Cell Games. Naturally, this had caused everyone to fly into a panic. However, the denizens of Orange Star City continued to live as they always had, children still attending school, adults still going to their jobs, criminals still committing crimes, the usual. The reason for this was simple; Orange Star City was home to the current World Martial Art's Champion, and self-proclaimed "world's strongest man", Mark, otherwise known as Mr. Satan. Videl, the black-haired girl who seemed more focused on her locker than her surroundings, in fact, happened to be his daughter. Walking up to her own proximate locker, Erasa couldn't help but say something to her best friend.  
  
"I know I've asked this a lot in just the past few hours, Videl..." Erasa began, but the black-haired girl cut her off.  
  
"Erasa, we've been over this," She said curtly. "I am 100% certain my dad will be able to beat Cell!" This entire line sounded rehearsed, as it should; Erasa had been nervous ever since the announcement of the Cell Games.   
  
"How can you be that certain?" The blonde girl insisted as she struggled with her locker combination. She'd never been good at remembering these kinds of things, and Videl quickly came over and turned the knob in the correct combination for her. "You saw what he did to the section of that city. He's even claiming to be responsible for the mass disappearances in places like Gingertown!"  
  
"It's all just a trick!" Videl asserted sharply. "Dad even says so — the destroyed portions of towns? Just explosives he set up before he arrived. Everything this guy's displayed are just light shows and tricks. Super powers don't exist, you know that. This isn't a fantasy world, Erasa, you've got to get your head in the game!"  
  
"I-I get it....!" The blonde girl almost backed away, raising her arms up as if to defend herself and chuckling weakly. "I'll stop asking about it."  
  
" _I just wish Dad wouldn't use this as a chance to parade around like a buffoon..._ " Videl thought to herself. She had to admit, even she had some doubts about her father, but he was so insistent, and after all, the humans needed some hope to cling to. It was only because Mr. Satan lived in Orange Star City that everyone was so at ease.  
  
The girls closed their lockers, having retrieved their schoolbooks, and swapped their shoes at the shoe locker, walked outside into the fresh city air. If someone had woken up out of a long sleep in this city, they really would not have known a thing was wrong.   
  
"You go on ahead to Burger World, Erasa," Videl suggested to the girl. "And give me your things. I'll take them to my place, so we can just head back together."  
  
"You sure?" The blonde asked curiously. She didn't want to just leave Videl carrying her bag.  
  
"Don't worry about it," Videl waved it off airily, "Dad wanted me to come home first anyway. Just go wait at Burger World. And don't wander off."  
  


* * *

  
  
**Orange Star Shopping District**  
  
"There's so much to do!" Gohan was standing in awe in the middle of the crowded shopping district. The voices of people were almost overwhelming, as, at home, the only ambient noises came from the animals in the forest, this was certainly a new experience. He briefly reflected on how sad it was that his only experience in a city ended with it being destroyed by a maniacal android. This was a year ago, due to Gohan's training in the Room of Spirit and Time, but it was still fresh to the world.  
  
Assailing the boy's Saiyan nose were a plethora of wonderful aromas; perhaps it was due to his Saiyan heritage, but in addition to the various scents that were obviously human, he could detect the aroma of several different kinds of food. In fact, these smells seemed to be registering far stronger to him than anything else. "Well," He said meekly to himself. "Maybe I should grab a bite to eat."  
  
Following one of the stronger scents that made his mouth water, the boy found himself in front of a restaurant called "Burger World", a fast food restaurant popular with primary and secondary school students in the area. Gently pushing open the front doors, making careful effort not to shatter the glass, the boy stepped in and found himself surrounded by the sound of chatter, and the smell of cooking meat, as well as various condiments and the like.  
  
Patiently, he waited in the line, while everyone was receiving their orders. He kept his eyes on the menu, trying to figure out what to order. As he'd never been in a fast food restaurant before — his mother would cook all their food, which only made sense, given how much he and his father could eat — he had no idea what any of these foods were. They were listed by numbers, with images of the food next to them. Gohan supposed he would just order something random, and try it. He'd never found a food he didn't like; he was very like Goku in that regard.  
  
"Welcome to Burger World, may I take your order?" The cashier at the register sounded terribly bored and uninterested, as if he'd rather be anywhere but where he was right now. Gohan couldn't quite get how he could seem so bitter in a place that smelled so good.  
  
"Um...." Gohan scratched the back of his head meekly. Having never placed an order before, the experience was slightly nerve-wracking for the boy. "I-I'd like to order the #5, please."  
  
"That will be 700 zeni in total," The cashier droned on, inputing the numbers into the register with barely a glance at Gohan.   
  
Gohan reached into his pockets, only to be shocked when he discovered something terrible.  
  
He had no money.  
  
"Sir?" The cashier pressed. "Can you pay or not? We need to move the line along."  
  
"I...um..." Gohan stammered, tripping over his words entirely. How could he have forgotten any money? Had he gotten so caught up in the euphoria of his mother letting him go that he'd forgotten it entirely?  
  
"Sir, you're going to have to mo-"   
  
"Hey! Didn't I tell you lunch was my treat?" A silvery, unfamiliar voice caught Gohan's ear, and his nose was greeted by a very soothing aroma; a strange mixture of fruit scented conditioner and rose scented shampoo. There was also a natural fragrance to her, something that smelled very sweet, almost inviting. Gohan turned to see a girl with short, cropped blonde hair and curious bright blue eyes looking at him eagerly.   
  
"Oi, get back in the line!" A teenager directly behind Gohan snapped angrily. "We've been waiting here before you, kid."  
  
"I'm with him," The girl replied crisply, glaring at the older male. "He was waiting for me to get here, and tried to pay in advance since I was late. I'd told him lunch was on me earlier." It was surprising how easily this lie spilled from the girl's lips. "Isn't that right?"   
  
"Y-yeah, she's with me," Gohan caught on quickly, and tried to say it as convincingly as he could. He wasn't a natural liar — in fact, Krillin often said he had a terrible poker face, not that he knew what that was — but the teenager either believed him or decided it wasn't worth getting into an argument with. Erasa giggled to herself, and winked at the flustered Gohan.  
  
"Let's see, you wanted a #5, so I'll get that too!" She chirped, and paid the 1400 Zeni price, despite Gohan's misgivings about letting a random stranger pay for him. The cashier handed her two numbers, one for each of them, and two large cups. Erasa led Gohan to the soda machine, and the people in the line finally heaved a sigh of relief.   
  
"Um...why did you do that?" Gohan asked ask Erasa took both cups and filled them each with soda from the dispenser.   
  
"Do what?" Erasa asked airily, handing Gohan his own drink, which he took with gratitude.  
  
"I'm really grateful that you paid for me but I've never met you." He said innocently, if a bit a blunt. He wasn't trying to be rude, he just was surprised to see someone like that.  
  
"Well, you're new here, aren't you?" Erasa replied, chuckling at the surprise on Gohan's face. "I could tell by the expression on your face, it's so...clueless. No one whose lived here for awhile looks that excited to walk into a fast food restaurant."  
  
Gohan's face flushed. Was he really so obvious about that?  
  
"It's also your clothes," She gestured to Gohan's attire, which truly did look out of place in this modern setting; a white, silk shirt, tied down the center up to the collar, black pants also composed of silk, and black, flat shoes. "No one out here dresses anything remotely like that."  
  
Once again, she'd nailed it, and Gohan couldn't help but feel a little embarrassed. Just how out of place  _was_ he?  
  
"Since you're new in town, why don't I show you around after we eat?" Erasa coyly, a bright smile perched on her face. Gohan couldn't help but notice her scent was still very powerfully present, even among the aroma of the food here. "What do you say?"  
  
"S-sure...!" Gohan replied, giving a slight bow in thanks, showing just how odd he was. Erasa couldn't help but laugh once more, but to Gohan's relief, she seemed to simply find him funny. "Come on, let's find our table, ummm...?" It was at this point she realized they'd been talking for a few minutes with neither knowing the other's name.  
  
"I'm Son Gohan," The blonde hybrid replied quickly. He wondered why he hadn't introduced himself earlier, since it was only proper manners.  
  
"A family name? We definitely don't have those here. My name's Erasa," The human girl replied, and the two made off towards a table, sitting down, and they sat in awkward silence for a moment. However, it was Erasa who broke the silence, "So, Gohan, if you're not from out here, where are you from?"  
  
"A small town over in East District 439." Gohan replied cheerfully. The boy, however, was apparently unaware of the magnitude of his statement, as it caused Erasa to jolt up in shock, thrusting both hands on the table  
  
"E-East District 439?!" She gaped, eyes wide. "You're kidding, right? That's hundreds of miles from here! Even by jet flier, it takes five hours to get here! And you came here just to look around? Are you rich or something?"  
  
"N-no, not really," Gohan replied hastily, trying to get Erasa to relax.   
  
"Miss, you're going to have to sit down or leave," One of the employees had come to the table, carrying Gohan and Erasa's food, and had been there for the entire spectacle. "We don't need disturbances here."  
  
Erasa gasped, entirely unaware that she had stood up, or had been been exclaiming her surprise. "I'm sorry!" She replied quickly, and the server placed their food down, taking the numbers off the table and left.  
  
"Itadakimasu~!" Both children exclaimed as Erasa handed Gohan a wrapped burger, and fries. While Erasa immediately began to unwrap her burger, she saw Gohan looking around aimlessly. Swallowing a bite, she placed the burger on the table, staring at him curiously. "Is something the matter, Gohan?"  
  
"There aren't any utensils," The boy replied, sounded confused. "How am I supposed to eat then?"  
  
Erasa stopped, blinking rapidly. "You don't know how to eat fast food?" She asked incredulously. "You really  _are_ from a village." She had to admit, his innocence and ignorance of city life was cute, in an odd way. "Watch me, alright?" The girl took command, picking up her hamburger once more, and taking a bite, giving Gohan a much needed demonstration. After chewing slowly and swallowing, she smiled at his shocked look. "You eat food like this with your hands! Go on, try it!"  
  
Unsure of himself — his mother insisted food always be eaten with some form of utensils, be they flatware or chopsticks — Gohan picked up the burger, unwrapping it, and took a bite. Trying to mind his manners, he chewed carefully and swallowed. "It's delicious!" He exclaimed, never having tasted anything like it.  
  
"Isn't it?" Erasa smiled, and picked up a napkin, reaching across the table. "Hey, c'mere. You've got some ketchup on your face." Gently, she rubbed the napkin along the side of Gohan's mouth, removing a slightly red-stained napkin. "There we go," She smiled brightly once more, and Gohan couldn't help noticing he was getting more relaxed around this strange girl by the second. "Come on, let's finish, and I'll take you around the city!"  
  


* * *

  
Gohan and Erasa exited the fast food restaurant, both having food in their stomachs, putting them in a jovial mood. The blonde pair of children immediately started to explore, Erasa pulling Gohan by the hand, eager to show him around. Being in a city for no reason other than enjoyment was a refreshing experience to Gohan.   
  
As Erasa showed Gohan around the city, she'd completely forgotten two important things; the trouble of Cell, but also, the fact that her friend Videl was most likely waiting back at the restaurant she'd just now left, and would be furious. Gohan himself had long since gotten rid of the nervous feeling he'd had when Erasa first appeared, and the two were talking like old friends.  
  
Laughing as they chatted, Erasa led Gohan around the shopping district, introducing him to the concept of shopping malls, supermarkets, and even stores like convenience stores. Every sight, every smell, was new to Gohan; he'd never seen, or even dreamed, of a place as busy and bustling as this, and having Erasa lead him around seemed to complete the experience, in his mind. The blonde girl had a remarkable amount of patience, allowing Gohan the time to bask in his reverence of the city before she dragged him off to see something new.   
  
"What's this?" Gohan asked, pointing at a large, ornate fountain. Made seemingly of marble, filled with water, and the figure of a large, serpentine Dragon rising out of it, it caught Gohan's attention immediately, due to how much it resembled the Eternal Dragon summoned through the Dragon Balls. From the dragon's menacing, open mouth shot a pillar of water which arched as it rose higher, landing in the basin.  
  
"This?" Erasa was surprised Gohan would be interested in such a relic. "This statue is a piece of history. The dragon here is Shénlóng, and, an old legend has it that, when Orange Star City was just a small town, hundreds of years ago, this very dragon saved our town from a cataclysm," She walked over, placing her hand on the horns of the dragon, slowly moving it down the winding, twisting frame. It seemed she held a kind of reverence for this creature. "There was a shrine built, dedicated to the dragon, and placed inside it was a sphere with a single orange star. Eventually, when we became a large city, the shrine was demolished, but those who wanted to remember Shénlóng, and what he did for our small village, created this fountain. Even now, people still pray to Shénlóng, for fortune, for protection..."  
  
"That's so....amazing..." Gohan stood there, staring at the statue of the Eternal Dragon. He'd grown up knowing about the concept of Dragon Balls, and as such, hadn't placed any true thoughts of reverence to them, they were just there, and he'd always assumed they would be. When Piccolo fused with Kami, however, the Balls became inert...he wondered how these people would react, to realize their precious deity was now gone? He didn't have the heart to tell Erasa, who kept staring at the statue fondly.   
  
"Come on!" Erasa told the boy, slightly dazed as she walked off aimlessly; telling the story of Shénlóng, her attention seemed to be entirely focused on the marble statue, as opposed to where she had been walking.  
  
This would prove to be a mistake.  
  
"Erasa, watch out!" Gohan called frantically; the girl's dazed state caused her to only dimly register Gohan's words as she accidentally tripped off the side of the curb...and into the path of an oncoming pickup truck. The girl let out a shriek, the driver shouted, frantically honking their horn, and Gohan, despite Erasa being far out of his reach, reacted instantly. He leapt forward within the blink of an eye, grabbed her around the waist, and in one bound, leapt to the sidewalk on the other side of the road, crouching on one knee with a breathless Erasa at his side.  
  
"You....saved me...?" The girl breathed, utterly stunned as the pick-up truck seemed to floor away from the scene, without giving its would-be-victim a look of concern. "H-how did you do that?" It was understandable that Erasa was shocked; they went from one side of the street to another faster than she had taken a breath.  
  
"It just happened," Gohan replied, giving Erasa a once-over to make sure she hadn't been harmed anywhere — not by the car, but by him. Controlling his own strength wasn't easy when he wasn't focusing, but much to his relief, he hadn't done any damage to Erasa. "How are you feeling?"  
  
"Fine, thanks to you," She replied, still sounding like she'd just run a mile. " _What did he do? It couldn't have just been, like, adrenaline, could it?_ " This girl, it seemed, had far too many questions than was actually good for her. Before she could ask any questions, however, Gohan's sensitive hearing caught the sound of cheers; his natural curiosity made him want to go look, and Erasa, as his guide, felt compelled to follow the boy.  
  
"MR. SATAN, MR. SATAN, MR. SATAN!"   
  
A deafening roar greeted Gohan and Erasa's ears as they stumbled into the crowd of what looked like a parade. Every person in the crowd was shouting "MR. SATAN!" over and over, cheering on a towering mountain of a man — easily 6'10" — muscular, with a thick moustache and afro, both dark black.   
  
"EVERYONE, WELCOME YOUR HERO, AND THE HOST OF THIS CURRENT FESTIVAL, MR. SATAAAAAAAAAAAAN!" A man with slicked black blonde hair, wire-rimmed glasses, and a lanky frame, dressed in a pinstriped suit, bellowed into a microphone. "THIS IS THE MAN WHO HAS SO VALIANTLY AGREED TO COMPETE IN THE CELL GAMES AND SAVE THE WORLD FROM THE TYRANNY OF THAT MONSTER!"  
  
"MR. SATAN! MR. SATAN! MR. SATAN!" The crowd let out another deafening roar, and it was only then that Erasa and Gohan realized exactly where they were; directly in the center of a large festival. Looking around, Gohan could see concession stands, crowds of people gathering at various attractions and games, and the smell of food once again caught his attention. Was this entire procession just for this one man? Gohan couldn't understand why, as he'd never heard of the man. Was he important?  
  
"WAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!" The man, Mr. Satan, let out a raucous laugh that had the terrible misfortune of striking both children as ear gratingly annoying. "LOYAL CITIZENS, YOU HAVE NOTHING TO FEAR! IN NINE DAYS, I WILL BE COMPETING IN THE CELL GAMES, AND I WILL CRUSH CELL FOR ALL OF YOU TO SEE!" His voice, gravelly and boisterous as it was, was also nothing to smile at.  
  
"BRILLIANT, MR. SATAN!" The unnamed bespectacled exclaimed. "WITH YOU AS OUR CHAMPION, THE CITIZENS OF ORANGE STAR CITY CAN REST PEACEFULLY!"  
  
The crowd began to disperse, everyone heading out to enjoy the festivities, leaving Gohan and Erasa to themselves. Gohan couldn't help but feel a slight sense of worry. This man was competing in the Cell Games? That had to be a mistake, didn't it? He could barely feel any power from that man; in fact, he felt more energy from Master Roshi than Mr. Satan. So had he heard correctly?  
  
Seeing their surroundings, however, gave Erasa a different feeling from Gohan's. A stroke of brilliance, in fact. Wrapping her arm around Gohan's, which immediately flustered the child, she dragged him straight towards the festival. "C'mon, Gohan! I bet you've never seen a festival before, have you?"  
  
"N-no, I haven't," Gohan replied, his face flushing a little due to the proximity of her body to his; her could feel the skin of her arm through the silk of his sleeves.  
  
"Then come on!" She tugged on his arm excitedly, eager to take Gohan to an event like this. With a smile on her face, she led Gohan around the festival, and, as she still had Zeni in her pocket, decided she'd make this her treat as well. Munching happily on grilled-squid-on-a-stick, Gohan let Erasa lead him around, and she seemed to enjoy herself just seeing his reaction to the new sights. Many of the stands and rides were themed around Mr. Satan; it became very apparent that this was a festival to celebrate the man's decision to compete in the Cell Games. Neither Gohan nor Erasa paid this any attention; the two children were far too absorbed in each other's company, the worries of things like the Cell Games put in the back of their heads.   
  
"Gohan!" Erasa skidded to a stop, gasping excitedly, pointing with a free arm at one of the game stands; it was a ring throwing game, and if the winner could land three rings on one pole, they could win the grand prize, a giant plush bear. "Look at the bear! It's cute!" She was practically squealing.  
  
"Do you want it?" Gohan asked, eyeing the stand. It wouldn't be difficult at all to win something like that.  
  
"Can you win it for me?!" She begged, her bright blue eyes practically sparkling with the request. To anyone else, this would seem unfair; who could refuse puppy dog eyes?   
  
"I'll win it for you," The boy promised, and Erasa let go of his arm as they made their way to the stand.   
  
"You here for the ring toss, kid?" A bored looking woman asked, standing behind the counter. "You get one try free; every try after is 200 Zeni." She handed the boy three plastic rings, which he gripped gently; any excess force and he'd have to explain away destroyed property. Gohan kept his eyes on the pole, deftly throwing the first ring. It caught onto the tip of the ring, spiraling down to the base of the pole. Gohan smiled to himself as he threw the remaining two rings, both mimicking the actions of the prior, all three landing around the pole with ease.   
  
"Congrats, kid," The woman droned, much to Gohan and especially Erasa's glee, as she unhooked one of the largest plush bears from the prize rack, and Gohan picked it up, handing it over to Erasa, who struggled to hold the giant bear up. It wasn't heavy, per se, but it was larger than Erasa was, and she stumbled back trying to hold it. Gohan quickly took it himself, placing it on his shoulder. "I'll hold onto it until we're done, alright?" He told her, chuckling to himself.  
  
"Thanks, Gohan," Erasa was smiling broadly, her eyes twinkling with happiness. "I'm going to take good care of it," She said sweetly, and Gohan couldn't help but flush once more. Was the bear that important? In the back of his head, however, he was pleased with himself for winning Erasa a gift she wanted.  
  
The two children, oblivious to time, continued to tour the festival. Erasa wanted to try goldfish scooping next, and despite having some issues with it, Gohan was able to guide the girl's hand and help her use the  _poi_ to succeed in scooping up the slippery fish. After playing several more games, by which point Gohan had won Erasa a few additional smaller prizes, and the festivities continued well into the evening. It was only when the sun began to set that the two realized just how late it had gotten; had the time truly gotten away from them?   
  
"Oh my gosh!" Erasa looked down at the wristwatch on her hand, panic in her voice. "It's 6:55! I should have been home 20 minutes ago! I have to call my dad, he's going to get worried!"  
  
"Don't worry about it," Gohan replied in a matter-of-fact manner. "I'll walk you back to your house, Erasa."  
  
"R-really?" Erasa blinked, her silvery voice sounding surprised. Admittedly, she wouldn't mind Gohan coming back with her; she hated to have to see him go now, when they'd been having so much fun today. "You'd do that, Gohan?"  
  
"Of course," The hybrid replied with a smile. "I can't just leave you with no one, can I? Besides," He held up the giant bear, as well as the bag of smaller prizes. "I don't just want to let you carry these on home by yourself. Just show me the way, and I'll walk with you."  
  
"No you won't!" A ringing voice shot from behind both Gohan and Erasa. The Saiyan boy's hair quickly stood on end; a new, yet familiar scent caught his nose, pungent, like cinnamon. It was a smell of confrontation, and he recognized it all too well; it was his mother's own scent when she was angry. Both blondes turned to see a small girl in a white t-shirt and jean shorts with black hair tied into a side ponytail who was wearing a furious expression. She marched over to Gohan, a hand on her hip, and jabbed the boy in the chest with her index finger.  
  
"I don't know who you are, but Erasa doesn't bring any boy home, at all!" She snapped, her blue-eyes meeting Gohan's. Unlike the warmth of Erasa's, these were cold and hard, more akin to a rugged sapphire than the pools that Erasa's were. Her forceful way of speaking reminded Gohan heavily of his own mother, and it made him uncomfortable as he edged back a bit. "You're why she did the exact opposite of what I asked and wandered off!?"  
  
"W-wait, I can explain!" Gohan replied frantically, trying to muster up the courage to say something in response to this rabid girl.  
  
"Videl, I was only showing him around the city!" Erasa replied hastily, trying to defend herself and her new friend. "He was new in town, and he looked lost, and..." She trailed off under Videl's enraged glare.  
  
"And then there's you!" Videl cried shrilly, causing several shocked people to look in their direction. "I asked you to do one thing — one thing!!!! — and that was to not wander off! And you do just that!" She began to wheeze heavily, the stress of yelling at these two kids was beginning to get to her. "Do you have any idea how worried I was about you? I've been looking for you for several hours — HOURS!!!!" Her voice, if possible, began to shrill further, to the point that it pierced Gohan's far more sensitive ears and causing him to instinctively wince.   
  
"I get it!" Erasa's voice was defeated, conceding that she had, in fact, given her friend too much trouble. "I'm sorry, I just wanted to help him out. He couldn't pay for his food, and when we started to talk, I lost track of the time, alright? I didn't mean to cause you this much trouble, Videl!"  
  
Videl sighed, placing a hand to her forehead. "You're always like this, always! It's like that time when we were five, and you wandered off at the carnival. Do you remember how much explaining my Dad had to do to the relatives of that poor clown?" Whatever this topic was about, it was apparently one of Videl's hot buttons. "I'm taking you home, let's go!" She snapped, and grabbed Erasa by the wrist. The blonde girl flashed an apologetic look to Gohan; she couldn't find any words for her friend's actions at this point.  
  
"I guess this is good-bye, Gohan?" The girl said morosely, looking slightly downcast.   
  
"Yeah..." Gohan replied dully; he couldn't see anything to be gained from arguing with this new Videl girl. He really wanted to spend more time with Erasa, but this girl obviously wasn't going to allow something like that. Gently, he put the bag of prizes in her hand, and handed her the giant bear he'd won for her; once again, Erasa stumbled with it, but tried to keep a firm grip on it. "I really did have fun!" Gohan called out to her as Videl quite literally dragged the girl away. "Thank you!" He waved at her.  
  
"Gohan!" A voice from the sky, all too familiar to the boy, called out to him. "So this is where you've been, huh?" Gohan looked up to see his father descending; clad in orange jacket, white t-shirt, green pants, and brown boots — clothes the boy's mother had bought the man in a bid to get him to wear something other than gi. In a state of passive Super Saiyan as well, this man was Son Goku, the father of Gohan.  
  
"Dad?" Gohan almost spluttered in surprise. "Why'd you come all the way out here?"  
  
"Your mother was worried, so she sent me to come get you." Goku replied airily. "'What if he's been kidnapped!? Or got hit by a car? Or ran into a group of thugs?'" Goku put on a very bad imitation of his wife's voice to give Gohan the picture of what was happening at home. "She's worried, so we should head home son."   
  
"Sure..." Gohan agreed, flashing Erasa another look as he and his father rose high into the air. The girl was still looking at Gohan as her best friend dragged her away, but when she saw him float into the air with no support, her look of sadness changed into one of utter shock.  
  
" _He can fly!_ " She gaped, recalling their earlier discussion of where he lived. That was how he'd been able to get here on a whim; he could fly!  
  
The father and son duo flew off into the sky, against the setting sun, and Gohan couldn't help but smile to himself. Despite how the day ended, he'd quite enjoyed spending time in the city, with Erasa. It was only at this point that he realized that, during this entire day, he'd barely thought about the Cell Games once. Even now, he was wondering if he would see Erasa again.  
  
Little did the boy know that this was not to be their last meeting. It's funny how fate works.


	2. The Return

_It has been seven years since Earth's most recent crisis; a terrifying event called the Cell Games. Earth's greatest heroes gathered in a tournament to the death that would decide the fate of the Earth by meeting the monster Cell in combat. The planet was able to live to see another day through the sacrifice of the noble Son Goku, who gave his life to defeat Cell, and the combined efforts of the young Saiyan Son Gohan, and the prideful Saiyan Prince Vegeta, who ensured the creature was destroyed utterly._   
  
_Despite losing its greatest hero, Earth finds itself in a state of peace. Years after the defeat of Cell, the Earthlings, blind to the efforts of the thankless Z-Fighters, frolic in peace, worshiping a new hero, Mr. Satan. Despite this, the lives of the Earth's special forces continue, even without Goku. And Gohan's greatest adventure begins. What would that be?_   
  
_His first day of secondary schooling._   
  


* * *

  
  
"Gohan, honey, come down or you're going to be late!" The ringing voice of Chi-Chi, Gohan's mother, and wife of Goku, came from the kitchen as Gohan was putting on his new secondary school uniform. To be honest, he didn't need his mother to remind him about this day — to be truthful, the thought of returning to Orange Star City had kept Gohan up for the entire night. He was both excited, and even rather nervous, since he would finally be attending an actual school with real people. He couldn't help but chuckle at the absurdity of the man who saved the world being nervous about his first day of school.  
  
"I'm on my way down, mom!" Gohan called down from his room, snatching up his bookbag as he closed the door behind him, heading into the kitchen to say good-bye to his mother. To someone who hadn't seen Gohan's family since the Cell Games, if they entered the kitchen with him, they would have noticed an important new addition to the Son family. Since Goku's passing, seven years ago in the Cell Games, Chi-Chi had given birth to his second child, a young boy named Son Goten. A dead ringer for his father, the boy was an energetic child who idolized his older brother.  
  
"Alright, Mom, I'm about to head out," Gohan said, ruffling his brother's hair cheerfully. "If I go now, I think I'll make it on time."  
  
"I'm so proud of you, Gohan," Chi-Chi said, tearing up slightly. "Your first day of public schooling...I can't say your father would be proud, the kind of man he was, but I still wish he was here to see this."  
  
Gohan couldn't help but internally agree as to how his father wouldn't be the least bit impressed in his attending a school, as the man had never had a day of proper schooling in his life, but he didn't actually voice this to avoid ruining his mother's good mood.   
  
"Here you go Gohan," Chi-Chi took a small bentō box from the counter, handing it to Gohan. "Your lunch! Have a great first day, alright?"  
  
"Thanks, Mom!" Gohan accepted the bentō happily; if he and his father had any similarities, it would be the Saiyan love of food. Part of him wanted to eat it right now, but he thought it best to save it until he got to school.   
  
"Gohan, can I come with you!?" Goten asked eagerly, rushing over to his brother. It made Goten sad to see Gohan have to leave; he'd never really been away from Gohan since he'd been born.   
  
"Sorry kiddo," Gohan knelt down in front of Goten, ruffling the boy's hair again. "You have to be a bit older before you can go to my school. Don't worry, I'll be back quick, I promise!" Realizing he couldn't dawdle anymore, Gohan jumped up, dashing out the door as Goten watched him huffily.   
  
"Kinto'un!" Gohan called out into the sky, leaping into the air, only to be caught by a flying golden cloud. Sitting cross-legged, the cloud shot straight into the air, heading towards Satan City. The last thing Gohan heard from his mother before his house was out his hearing range was "Watch out for airplanes, dear!"  
  
Flying through the sky at 643 km/h, Kinto'un tore across the forest, heading straight for Satan City. As he sat on his fluffy perch, Gohan could only think of what his school was going to be like. He hadn't been to this city in years, certainly not trying to pass off as a normal human. Just the thought of that was ludicrous. After a half hour, Gohan saw the city come into view. It was a nostalgic sight, the same sight he'd see when he'd visited seven years ago.  
  
"The edge of town...I ought to get off now," He hoisted himself up, leaping off of the flying cloud, which tore off in another direction. "Thanks for the ride, Kinto'un!" Gohan called back, waving at it. "Pick me up for the ride home!" Landing neatly on the ground, Gohan was confronted with a large sign, adorned with the face of Mr. Satan. Emblazoned on the sign, in bold letters, was SATAN CITY.   
  
The hybrid snickered at this. " _Oh Dad. If only you were here. You'd love to see this._   _The world still believes Mr. Satan saved them all from Cell. They even named a city after him,_ " Raising a finger to his chin thoughtfully, he was surprised to see that this didn't bother him, despite the fact that his mother despised Mr. Satan for stealing what she saw as Gohan's credit. " _That's probably for the best. Gohan City doesn't have the same ring to it_." The boy took off at a light sprint, trying to maintain a human speed. His mother and he both agreed on one thing — hiding his powers from the public was best. As he looked at his watch, however, he realised he really was running short on time.  
  
"I really might have dawdled at home too long," The boy thought, folding his sleeve back over his digital wristwatch. Stopping, he checked around the corners. The street was quiet, with no one around to see him. "Alright...no one around. Let's push it!" The boy tore off down the sidewalk, keeping his steps light to avoid crushing the ground, as if he was gliding, but moving at a speed that tore past any car, causing a driver and his wife to skid to a stop, checking back to make sure their eyes hadn't been playing tricks on them.  
  
"Excellent!" Gohan thought aloud, whizzing down the empty sidewalk. "At this pace, I might make it with a few minutes to spare." A sound, however, quickly caught Gohan's sensitive Saiyan ears, a sound that told him exactly why this side of the street was as empty as it was.   
  
Gunfire.   
  
"Not now...!" Gohan gritted his teeth; even faced with the choice of going to intervene, or actually make it to class on time, Gohan already knew which choice he would make, and quickly tore off towards the sound of the guns. The scene, by human standards, was already horrific; it was a shoot out in front of the Satan City Bank, several police officers were ducking behind their cars, all of which were riddled with bullets, in a desperate attempt to avoid the criminals use of firearms. Much to Gohan's horror, he could feel very weak ki signals inside the bank, fading quickly. People were dying.  
  
"Not again...!" Gohan groaned in exasperation. "For a city where the hero lives, it sure has an excessive amount of crime." Ducking behind the bank, Gohan gave another look around, before stashing his book-bag into a bush. "I don't want anyone to know it's me, so I suppose I'd better..." Within an instant, Gohan had transformed into a Super Saiyan. Having long since mastered the form under his father's not so strenuous training regimen of 'spend an entire week as a Super Saiyan', transforming was second nature to him now. Gohan almost felt relaxed as the the soothing warmth of the Full-Powered Super Saiyan state spread throughout his body; it was like stepping into a sauna.  
  
"Just try to take us, pigs!!" One of the masked robbers cried out, firing a barrage of bullets towards the cowering police. The bullets pierced the sides of the cars, and shot through windowpane, shattering glass as it sent the crowd in a panic. Gohan deftly jumped into the air, and quickly dispatched two of the criminals through a swift kick to the chin and a sharp jab to the back of the head, causing both to collapse to the ground as Gohan landed in the back of their pick-up truck.  
  
"Look!" An elderly man emerged from hiding behind a building, dusting off his suit and straightening his glasses. "It's him, everyone! The Golden Warrior!"  
  
At this name, a few other cowering individuals crawled out from their hiding spots.  
  
"The Golden Warrior is back!?"  
  
"He's really back!? But it's been a month since he last arrived!"  
  
"Sock it to him, Golden Warrior!"  
  
And then there was this little situation. While the world remained blissfully ignorant of Gohan's defeat of Cell, Satan City knew Gohan as a hero through the name of the "Golden Warrior", a superhuman who appeared occasionally to fight off crime in Satan City. He wasn't quite sure how he felt about this kind of attention, to be honest. It was one of the reasons he was glad Mr. Satan enjoyed hogging attention.   
  
"You little shit! WHO THE HELL ARE YOU!?" The remaining criminal, in a panic, pointed his weapon directly at Gohan and opened fire.  
  
In the blink of an eye, the adolescent grabbed each and every bullet from the air, crushing the bullets within his palm. Holding out his hand for the criminal to see, Gohan let the flattened bullets fall straight to the ground. As the criminal backed away in horror, speechless at this display of superhuman ability, Gohan leaped into the air, slamming his foot into the man's face with a jump side-kick, sending him careening onto his back, the boy landing with both feet onto the cement.   
  
"H-he's a monster! Let's get out of here!!" The two criminals Gohan had subdued not a minute ago were scrambling back into their truck, which roared to life as they put the key in the ignition. Shifting the truck into drive and slamming their foot onto the accelerator, the criminals frantically tried to escape from the justice that Gohan was delivering.  
  
Gohan turned, standing up to full height as he kept the truck in his watchful eyes. Standing absolutely still, it almost seemed like the criminals were going to make a get-a-way, until Gohan raised his hand, pointing it directly at the escaping vehicle.  
  
"HAH!"   
  
With a mighty yell, Gohan released a  _kiai_ , a powerful, invisible force that shot forward, tipping the truck over, the vehicle skidding along the street, throwing the doors open, but the force of the collision cramming the criminals inside.  
  
"W-who was that guy...?" One of the criminals groaned, squeezed into the seat of his own car. Gohan, meanwhile, dashed back to where his book-bag was hidden while everyone was distracted, reverting back to his normal form. Walking out to see a bewildered police force, a strange scent caught his nose. Pungent, like cinnamon, it causes his hair to stand on end, and worse, smelled familiar.   
  
"Hey, you!" A sharp voice caught his ear, coming from behind him. Almost jumping into the air, Gohan turned, nervously coming face to face with a girl around the same age as he was, with dark black pigtails, pale skin, and piercing blue-eyes that matched her very angry expression. She was also wearing a white t-shirt with black biker shorts, and her gaze was focused intently on Gohan. When she spoke again, it was just as sharp as before, and she sounded every bit as angry as she looked. "Who did that?!" She jabbed her gloved hand in the direction of the wreckage caused by the 'Golden Warrior'. "That hardly looks like something the cops would pull off."  
  
"Um...I don't know..." Gohan lied quickly, backing away as slowly as he could, now that her attention seemed focused on the crime scene. "I-I didn't see it..."  
  
The girl slammed her fist into her palm, grinding her teeth. "And after I came running!  _I_ should have been the one who stopped them!" At this, Gohan quickly began sneaking away from the violent girl, eager to put as much space between inquiring minds and himself as he could.   
  
"Oh! Miss Videl!" One of the citizens who had seen Gohan dispatch the criminals came rushing over to the girl, eager to tell her what he saw. "I was wondering when you'd show up! I saw the whole thing! It was the Golden Warrior!"  
  
Videl let out an exasperated sigh. "The Golden Warrior?  _Again_? This is the third time already!"   
  
"It was amazing!" The old man was raving by this point. "He was so fast and powerful! He handled the crooks so easily...and he flipped over the getaway car with just...a yell..." The elderly man trailed off, realizing how ridiculous he sounded, despite every word being true. "As a matter of fact, isn't he a friend of yours? He wears the same badge you have, so I assume he must go to Orange Star High School." The man gestured to the badge on Videl's shirt, a white circle with an orange star, that held a large 'S' inside it.  
  
"Huh!?" Videl was taken aback by this little revelation. "All the students at school wear this badge. Could there really be a student like that? Someone with golden hair?"  
  
Gohan, far out of earshot of this little conversation, had only caught the name of the girl before he had fled. Videl? That named sounded so familiar...had he met that bothersome girl before?  
  


* * *

  
 **Orange Star High School - Classroom 3B**  
  
The sound of chattering filled the crowded classroom. Students talking about the homework they should have done but didn't, whether or not they'd actually get a substitute teacher, dodging crumpled up paper balls thrown in their direction, or some just watching the clock as it ticked its way to 8:00 AM. The future leaders of society at their finest.  
  
One girl sat near the far right edge of the third row in the classroom, was a girl with cropped blonde hair, bright blue-eyes, wearing a striped green tube top and and jeans, with a similar badge to Videl and Gohan's perched on her shirt's torso. Oblivious to the chatter around her, her thoughts were drifting to the recent news of the Golden Warrior having returned to Satan City. " _A Golden Fighter..._ " She chewed on the tip of her pen, lost in own thoughts. " _Just like those fighters from the Cell Game videos...and just like him. But it couldn't be....could it?_ "  
  
"Hey Sharpener," The sharp voice of Videl snapped the girl out of her haze. "Tell me; are  _you_  the Golden Warrior?"  
  
"Oh please," A boy with back-length, pale blonde hair, who resembled an adult more than a teenager, scoffed at the notion. "As if I would have the time to run around the city playing 'hero'." He moved his blonde hair out of his eyes, as if trying to impress Videl with the motion. "How could I? I had boxing practice this morning."  
  
" _But if it is him...._ " The blonde had a sudden stroke of genius. Turning to her best friend, she casually threw out an idea that was sure to be shot down. "Hey Videl, you ever consider this 'Golden Warrior' might be stronger than your dad?"  
  
"Stronger than Videl's dad?" One of the boys in the row in front of them, a bespectacled boy with red hair and freckles, snickered. "Come off it, Mr. Satan is the strongest man on the planet. He could probably take this Golden Warrior with both hands behind his back!"  
  
"If you say so..." The blonde murmured, her attention now captured by the sound of a throat clearing.   
  
Their homeroom teacher, Mr. Fahcolty, entered the classroom. He was elderly, his hair bright white with a receding hairline, and a thick white moustache. Adjusting the thick glasses that adorned his face, he turned to speak to the class at large. "Greetings, my young...scholars..." He tread over that last word word carefully; as rowdy as this class was, they barely deserved to have the term 'student' applied, much less a more esteemed title such as 'scholar'. "A transfer student has decided to grace our school with his presence — and this young man actually knows how to read."  
  
A few people flinched at that; it was quite like Mr. Fahcolty to take a pot shot at the class, but who could blame him? Even with Videl, who wasn't exactly unintelligent, class 3B had the lowest average in Orange Star High School.  
  
"Son, you may enter," Mr. Fahcolty called outside the door, and a young man entered the room, looking around the classroom quietly. "Go on, introduce yourself."  
  
"H-hello..." The boy looked around the classroom nervously, trying to take everything in. "My name is Son Gohan. It's nice to meet everyone!"  
  
" _Son Gohan_?" The blonde girl knew that name; she knew it very well in fact, even though she'd only met the person who the named belonged to for one day, seven years ago. " _I knew it! It has to be him! That face...and that name...._ "  
  
"Son Gohan here has proven to be an exceptional student, making perfect scores on every single one of his entrance exams — English, Chemistry, Mathematics," Mr. Fahcolty shot Sharpener a stern look over the rim of his glasses. " _Several_ of you could do well to learn from young Gohan's example."  
  
"Example this!" A student in the far back of the classroom made a shrill, high-pitched whistling noise, causing several other students to laugh in reaction.  
  
"All of you, quiet down!" Mr. Fahcolty shouted above the ruckus of the students. "Every one of you kids are an embarrassment to public school!" He rubbed the bridge of his nose, sitting down at the teacher's desk in the front of the classroom, muttering something about a transfer. "Gohan, you may take any free seat you wish."  
  
"Oh, alright!" Gohan looked around, scanning the room for a seat that looked comfortable.  
  
"Hey, new kid!" The blonde girl stood up, waving in Gohan's direction. "Come on over here, the seat next to me is free!" She gestured towards the empty wooden seat on the edge of the row next to her.  
  
"T-thank you!" Gohan quickly made his way over to the third row's seat, taking his place next to the blonde girl, who was giving him a scrutinizing look.   
  
"Nice to meet you, Gohan," The girl spoke with a silvery voice that range a familiar bell in Gohan's ear. It was only just coming to him now that he'd sat down, but among all the humans present, this girl had the strongest scent, and it seemed like one he'd encountered before. While the artificial scents of shampoo and conditioner were present, the girl's scent was naturally sweet, inviting even. "I'm Erasa. The tough looking one next to me is my friend, Videl." She jabbed her thumb at a girl with piercing blue-eyes and ebony hair, a girl that seemed to be analyzing Gohan hard.   
  
The girl he'd met in front of the bank just this morning.  
  
" _I suppose my name didn't ring any bells at all,_ " Erasa thought to herself, her shimmering blue-eyes locked on Gohan. " _I'll have to take more...direct measures, when class lets out_." Hoping to prod Gohan into conversation, she continued, "You'll never guess who she is, would you? This girl is Mr. Satan's daughter."  
  
" _The_  Mr. Satan?" Gohan exclaimed, surprised. "That must be interesting, being a celebrity's daughter and all."  
  
"I figured you'd be surprised." Erasa chuckled at Gohan's reaction; he as was amusing as he ever had been, she noted. "He was the man who defeated Cell, or so they say. It's why they named the city after him."  
  
"Ya don't say..." Gohan made sure to avoid that topic. No accounting for taste, right?  
  
"Wait...I know you!" Videl peered towards Gohan from Erasa's side. "I saw you at the bank this morning!"  
  
"Yeah, that was me..." Gohan replied slowly. This girl...did she have something against him? " _I've never met someone quite so persistent and forceful...aside from my mother..._ "  
  
"Oh, the bank, was it?" Erasa pried, ever curious at this point. "Wasn't that where the  _Golden Warrior_  was?" She emphasized the title, looking directly at Gohan.   
  
"The Golden...Warrior?" Gohan parroted the word, confused. "Is that another celebrity?"  
  
"You don't know?" Erasa raised an eyebrow in Gohan's direction. "The Golden Warrior is the local town superhero. They say he's a superhuman with glowing, golden hair, and super-strength. He's already made a name for himself as a silent deliverer of justice." Both Erasa and Videl were looking in Gohan's direction at this; Videl was still analyzing the boy, but Erasa's look was different. It was a look of knowing.  
  
" _They're talking about **me**...!_ " Gohan tried to slip out of view at the mention of his exploits. " _The two times I came here to register for school...and the bank robbery this morning!_ "  
  
"Come to think of it..." Videl flashed Gohan a sharp glare. "I heard the Golden Warrior was wearing a white shirt, black vest, khaki pants, and our school's badge. Funny...that sounds just like what you're wearing."  
  
" _T-this girl...!"_ Gohan flashed a look of brief panic, and could have sworn he saw a smile slip across Erasa's face.  
  
"Would you look at that?" Erasa said in a singsong voice. "Gohan, you and the Golden Warrior have the same fashion sense."  
  
"Y-yeah..." The hybrid teenager replied weakly. "What are the odds?"  
  
" _What are the odds indeed?_ " The blonde girl thought.   
  
"Oh come on, Videl!" Sharpener argued. "Look at this kid. Does he look like any kind of fighter? Besides, his hair is pitch black, not blonde."  
  
"Quiet down, all of you!" Mr. Fahcolty called out from in front of the blackboard.  
  


* * *

  
  
 **Orange Star High School P.E. Field**  
  
After indoor classes, the students filed out onto the field for Physical Education. Gohan wasn't quite sure how he felt about this. On the one hand, just getting out of the classroom and into the fresh air was a relief. Everyone had stopped gossiping about the Golden Warrior by this point, and were caught up in their own conversations. On the other hand, physical education was what Gohan had been dreading.   
  
"Today," The coach, a burly looking man with very short, black hair and a thick moustache of matching colour, stood in front of the class, "we will be playing a game of baseball. Everyone, go and pick your teams."  
  
"You any good at baseball?" Sharpener was the first to confront Gohan before anyone could even start selecting their teammates.  
  
"Well, I've never played," Gohan admitted, "but I have read several books on it, so I think I have a good grasp on the rules."  
  
"Never played baseball, he says," Sharpener let out an exasperated sigh, "you really must be from the boonies."  
  
"Whose team are we putting him on then?" Videl asked, sounding slightly annoyed. She and Sharpener were each on opposing teams, and she didn't quite feel like being stuck with the new kid who didn't know the first thing about how to play the game.  
  
"He's on our team, of course!" Erasa insisted, shocking the three at her side. She tugged on Gohan's sleeve, pulling him slightly closer. "Don't worry Videl, I'm confident that Gohan can handle something like baseball. All you need to do is watch what he can do."  
  
"Are you sure about this...?" The black-haired girl inquired uncertainly. "He doesn't look like he'll able to do anything at all...."  
  
"Trust me, he can. Aren't I right, Gohan?" Erasa said pointedly, edging closer to Gohan and winking. Flustered, the boy nodded, confused as to why Erasa would place that much confidence in him, though, he had to admit his own physical skills were more than likely the best out of everyone present.  
  
"I guess we're stuck with you," Videl conceded reluctantly. "Go take right field. You do know where that is, right?"  
  
"Yes, I know," Gohan put his baseball cap on, grabbed the mitt, and proceeded to the outer sight side of the field. " _I need to make myself look like a bad player,_ " Gohan thought to himself, a few minutes into the game, the crack of the baseball bat ringing in his ears. " _Mom and Bulma told me that if the general public knows what I can do, it'd cause too much of an uproar. Humans sure can be difficult to live with..._ " Lost in his own thoughts, Gohan didn't notice that Erasa was watching him carefully.   
  
Clearing his throat, Sharpener stepped up to bat, his teammates calling out for him to hit a home-run. Sharpener was just an all-around athletic student; boxing was just his preference.   
  
"Heh heh..." Videl chuckled, standing on the pitcher's mound, preparing to throw the ball. "I'm not makin' this easy on you!" Placing all her force behind it, Videl threw a fastball, proving herself to be a power pitcher. With ease, Sharpener retaliated, swinging the bat to meet the oncoming ball. With a loud  _KLANG!_ , the ball shot high into the air.   
  
"Whoah, did you see that hit!?" One of the students exclaimed from the sidelines.  
  
No sooner had Sharpener started to run, than the entire class gasped with shock. Reacting with lightning quick reflexes, Gohan had leapt into the air, catching the ball with ease. Casually floating, blissfully unaware of the shocked looks of his class, the Saiyan teenager analyzed the field. " _The runner on third's left the base...so that means, if I throw to third, I can get him out!_ " Gripping the ball, the boy tried desperately to control his strength. "Alright now..." He thought aloud to himself. "Steady...nice and slow..." As softly as he could, Gohan threw the ball downwards toward the baseman on third.   
  
"Whoah, whoah, whoah, whoah!!!" The poor student panicked as the ball collided him with the force of a powerful punch; stronger than any ball Videl had thrown. Placing his barehand behind the mitt, the baseman tried to absorb the impact as the colliding ball lifted him off his feet slightly, throwing him back onto the ground and off his base. In the mitt, the ball was spiraling until it stopped, smoking slightly from the friction.  
  
"Uh...he's out?" The boy on left field called out uncertainly.   
  
As Gohan descended, he was greeted by the shocked faces of his classmates. Covering his face with the brim of his hat, he tried to walk by without meeting their gazes. " _I guess that was a little much..._ "  
  
The only person in class who didn't seem surprised at this was Erasa, who was watching Gohan with a satisfied expression on her face. " _That jump was just as fast as when he saved me from the car!_ " She thought, positively beside herself. " _It is you, Gohan!_ "  
  
"Hey, kid..." The coach shot Gohan a perplexed look. "Did you just...how did you just jump 9 meters into the air?"  
  
"It was an accident!" Gohan explained away quickly, ducking past the coach on his way to the bench. "That's right, just an accident!" Naturally, no one bought that excuse, but they didn't press the matter further. No sooner had Gohan sat down, however, than he heard, "Batter up!", and remembered it was his turn to bat. Picking up the metal bat, Gohan made his way over to the batter's box.   
  
"I wonder if the new kid swings as hard as he throws..." One Gohan's classmates muttered off on the sidelines.  
  
"Are you left-handed, kid?"  The coach looked at Gohan, baffled, as the boy took up a power stance in the left-handed batter's box.   
  
"I can't do it this way?" Gohan inquired, looking back at his coach, equally as confused as the man himself.  
  
"You can, but your grip is wrong." The man continued.  
  
"Huh? Grip?" Gohan repeated in bewilderment.  
  
"...Why don't we just let you try it and see how it goes?" The coach conceded, as he was at the end of his tether with this line of conversation.   
  
Sharpener took his place on the pitcher's mound, smirking as he watched the inexperienced form of Gohan try and figure out what he was supposed to do. "Stupid hick...stealin' my home-run? Why don't I give you a good scare?"  
  
" _Watch it..._ " Gohan thought to himself. " _Everyone's already nervous around me...I'd better not swing the bat._ "  
  
" _Here I go! Better jump for the moon, kid, or you're dead!_ " Sharpener threw the ball with all his might, sending a fastball that rivaled Videl's own barreling towards Gohan, who simply stood there, waiting. Within seconds, the ball collided with full force into Gohan's face, knocking off the boy's hat, and causing nearly everyone present to react in stunned disbelief.  
  
Sharpener himself could only stand there as his jaw nearly hit the floor. "That...idiot!!! Why didn't you get out of the way!?"  
  
Oblivious to the shocked stares of nearly everyone, Gohan stood up straight, turning to the coach. "Hey coach, that's a 'hit batter', right?"  
  
"Y-yeah..." The stunned man could barely speak as Gohan threw the bat down, utterly pleased with himself.  
  
" _That worked like a charm!_ " Gohan thought, running towards first base. " _I got on base and I didn't have to do anything superhuman!_ "  
  
Shuddering, Sharpener could only look at Gohan with shock. "Just...what the hell is this guy?"  
  
" _Not much longer now,_ " Erasa thought, watching Gohan's progression out of the batter's box.  
  


* * *

  
 **Orange Star High School - Locker Hall, Near Exit**  
  
As the final bell rang, and the sun was beginning to set, every classroom was starting to let out. Gohan, eager to get home, was already at his locker before most other students had crowded the hallway with the chatter of gossip. Taking all the textbooks he'd need for this day's homework assignments, he closed the locker, just in time to hear Sharpener call for his attention.  
  
"Gohan, right? You thought about joining any clubs yet?" Quick to the point, Sharpener was.   
  
"I haven't given it any thought, actually..." Gohan knew that clubs were a big part of high school life, but he hadn't considered joining any clubs when he enrolled in school. Given his mother thought it best he keep a low profile, attending school and leaving quickly was the best plan of action.  
  
"Then go out for boxing!" Sharpener suggested, giving Gohan the first genuine smile he'd seen from the boy the entire day at school. "You're a lot stronger than I'd given you credit for; you'd be a great fighter, with proper training!"  
  
Doing his best not to laugh at the irony of this statement, Gohan shook his head. "Um...I actually don't think I can go out for any clubs...since..."  
  
"His commute to and from school takes forever, Sharpener!" A silvery voice, coupled with the familiar, sweet scent of Erasa caught Gohan's nose once more; it looked like she'd come to rescue him from this conversation, much to his relief. He hadn't had any excuse ready to refuse. "He lives all the way out in the village in East District 439. He's probably going to be late just wasting time talking."  
  
"Just like I thought, the boonies," Sharpener walked off past the two of them, waving offhandedly. "Alright then, see you two tomorrow! Consider the boxing club, Gohan!"  
  
"Thanks for coming in like that...Erasa, right?" Gohan croaked, very much relieved to see Sharpener leave. "I didn't really have an excuse ready to refuse his offer..."  
  
"Oh don't worry about it," Erasa giggled at Gohan's innocence. "You never have been good at lying."  
  
"What?" Gohan blinked rapidly, confused at this. She was talking like she knew him. To be honest, her scent did smell familiar; it registered somewhere in his brain, pleasant memories of times gone by.  
  
"I've actually been meaning to say something to you," Erasa turned around quickly, carrying on as if Gohan hadn't said anything. "Good work blending in today,  _Golden Warrior_."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And here we are at chapter two! Glad to see everyone could make it, because now we're really starting the story and we're about to pick up steam! As with before, lemme get just a few things out of the way; first off, Kinto'un is the Japanese name for the Flying Nimbus Cloud that Goku owns. It literally means "Somersault Cloud"...creative genius on the part of Toriyama, really. I'd also like to apologize to anyone whose is reading this, plays baseball, and thinks the baseball scene is a little clunky. I do not play the sport myself, and it was a very difficult scene to write. Something else you all will notice is that this does carry on from some of the canon material in the series; there will be chapters like that, that tie directly into the canon, but I promise to do my best to work in original dialogue, and given this is Gohan and Erasa's story, their reaction to events will be key!
> 
> I'd like to give a thanks to my friend, Mangetsu20, who helped me with the baseball terms this chapter, as well as gave it the first read before I put it up on the website, to make sure it was shipshape! I'll see you all in chapter 3, so hang tight!


	3. Exposed!?

"I've actually been meaning to say something to you," Erasa turned around quickly, carrying on as if Gohan hadn't said anything. "Good work blending in today,  _Golden Warrior_."  
  
"G-Golden Warrior!?" Gohan backed away, eager to avoid this topic as quickly as he could. This girl can't have found him out, it was impossible! Wasn't it? "I-I don't know what you're talking about!"  
  
"Oh spare me," Erasa laughed, a chiming, silvery laugh that was infectious, causing Gohan to briefly forget why he was nervous. "I told you, Gohan. You've never been good at this whole lying business. But, since you've obviously confused, I'll tell you what," She continued, walking over to Gohan, and, despite being shorter than him, seemed to have a presence that put her right on his level. "Meet me after school tomorrow. I'll explain everything you've forgotten."  
  
Erasa turned her back and walked out of the school building, leaving a very bewildered and confused Gohan to follow outside. " _What does she mean? What could I have possibly forgotten?_ " Lost in his thoughts, he walked away from the school building, putting some distance between himself and any potential onlookers before calling for Kinto'un. " _She seems to know me...and her scent and name are both familiar...why can't I place it?_ " Gohan couldn't help but laugh inwardly as he realized his mother had told him a story quite like this, about how his father proposed to her, after having forgotten her over the course of several years.   
  
" _I can't be as forgetful as Dad, can I?_ " The hybrid may have admired his father for his strength and nobility, but intelligence — and to be frank, anything that involved conscious use of the brain — had never been Goku's strong suit. Lost in his thoughts, it took him several moments to notice a very weak energy following him.   
  
Videl, apparently, had taken to stalking him.   
  
" _Is she for real?_ " The boy through incredulously, looking back slightly. He saw her duck away behind a building, and took that chance to quickly turn the corner, leaping into the air, scaling a four-story building with seconds. Landing lightly on the edge of the building's room, Gohan looked down to see Videl frantically trying to see where he'd disappeared too.  
  
"I think she's going to be a large cause of my stress," The Saiyan muttered to himself as he wiped sweat from his brow in relief. Looking at his watch, he saw it was nearly 8 PM. "Oh no! If I don't get home now, Mom's going to kill me! Kinto'un!" Hearing the familiar sound of the Somersault Cloud, Gohan deftly leaped from the roof, landing directly on the surface of his father's heirloom cloud. "Talk about a rough day, Kinto'un! Let's get home at full speed, or I think we'll both get an earful!"  
  
Responding to its owner's commands, the cloud tore through the air top speed, flying over the trees and mountains on its way to get Gohan back to his village.   
  
" _Erasa...where have I met you before..._?"  
  


* * *

  
  
 **East District 439, Base of Mount Paozu, Son Residence**  
  
"Mom, Goten, I'm home!" Gohan called out through the house, kicking off his shoes as he entered. The smell of food filling his nostrils, he quickly headed into the kitchen, where he saw his mother was already about to set dinner down. His mother's cooking, to Gohan at least, beat out anything a restaurant could put out.   
  
"Welcome back, dear!" Chi-Chi smiled in the direction of her eldest son, and then turned her eyes to the clock, which read 7:55. "And it looks like you  _just_ made it back in time for dinner. Do you need to get Kinto'un checked?" Checked for what was anybody's guess; what would ail a flying magical cloud?  
  
"Heh..." Gohan chuckled weakly, lightly pulling out one of the chairs at the table. "That was my fault, Mom. I think I wasted a little too much time after school had let out." It was truly amazing how the son of the strongest man on the planet became so meek in front of his mother.  
  
"Well, try not to cut it that close to the wire again," Chi-Chi reprimanded her son, but it was a light scolding. Perhaps she was lessening her restraints on Gohan as he was getting older. Or it was simply imagination. "So, dear, how was your first day of school?"  
  
"It actually went pretty well," Gohan replied, obviously omitting any mention of the bank robbery to his overprotective mother. "The classes aren't much to speak of, and I might be getting the hang of this 'blending in' you and Bulma want me to do. I also met a girl, her name was Erasa."  
  
"A girl!?" Chi-Chi immediately dropped the bowl of rice she was holding, the clay bowl crashing to the ground with a shattering noise. "W-what do you mean a girl!?" Her voice was reaching a fever-pitch by this point; she was nearly raving. "What kind of hussy tried to accost my baby!?"   
  
As Gohan had thought, any thought of his mother loosening up was simply imagination.  
  
"It's nothing like that, Mom!" Gohan quickly hurried over to pick up the shattered bowl and clean up the wasted rice. "You can calm down, she was actually....great, especially when you compare her to several other students in the class." Naturally, Gohan was comparing Erasa to Sharpener and Videl. "Please don't make a huge scene, especially when I only just got back."  
  
"Great!? Did you just call her great!?" The raving housewife interrogated, all thoughts of cooking and dinner completely gone from her mind as she kept drawing up worst-case scenarios. "Oh no...what if he drops out of school...becomes a teenage father with three kids and some Jezebel who cares more about money than their relationship...he'll never become a scholar, my dreams for him will be ruined...!"   
  
She continued like this for several minutes more, until Gohan finally worked up the nerve to speak.  
  
"Mom, please calm down!" Gohan insisted, speaking as loudly as he could over her ravings to bring her back to Earth. "There is nothing going on between myself or  _anyone_ at my school! I only just started today, and she was only being friendly, so can you please let it go?"  
  
"Being friendly is how it starts, Goha—" Chi-Chi began, before her son cut her off.   
  
"Mother, please, let it go!" He insisted, and Chi-Chi finally relented. Goten, who had been sitting silently the entire time, not wanting to have his mother round on him, finally found a chance to speak. "Gohan, after dinner, let's go outside and play! Can we!?"  
  
Before Gohan could even speak, his mother cut him off. "Now Goten, don't interfere with your brother's studies. He has to do his homework after he eats, and then it's right to bed for both of you!"  
  
"Aw, no fair!" Goten pouted, puffing his cheeks out as he crossed his arms, obviously upset.  
  
"Don't worry, Goten," Gohan whispered to the boy under his breath. "All my assignments are simple. Give me half an hour and we can sneak out the window while Mom is asleep!"  
  
This brightened the young Saiyan's mood considerably, and both left their mother none the wiser.  
  
As the family of three finally seemed to have dropped the subject, Chi-Chi was able to set the table within the next half hour. Just like their father before them, Goten and Gohan were quick to begin eating everything in sight, chewing and swallowing food within seconds of taking a bite. While Chi-Chi had tried to teach them manners, a Saiyan became a sight to behold when he was eating.  
  
"You know, Gohan," Chi-Chi put down her rice-bowl and chopsticks, looking her done dead in the eye, "when your father was here you were less whimsical with such careless distractions. Your grades were always high and the only thing you thought about besides your studies was gallivanting off with him on another adventure." She let out a theatrical sigh, as if trying to make Gohan feel guilty about what he'd said earlier. "When he gets back I'm telling you, all this nonsense this girl is spewing into your head will be gone, you'll see!"  
  
Gohan remained steadfast in his silence, and Goten could feel something was off, so he kept his mouth shut as well, focusing on his food. " _There she goes again_ ," He thought, irritably. " _She's still talking about Dad as if he's coming back, and it's been seven years! I know she misses him, I do too...but this really has to stop._ " Gohan, while he held his tongue, really wanted his mother's delusions about her husband to cease. Ever since Goku had died, Chi-Chi had been unable to accept it, and kept clinging to some blonde hope that he would return, like he had after he killed Freeza.   
  
But this was different this time.  Goku sacrificed his own life to save them, and Chi-Chi was acting like he was simply taking an overly long vacation. And to make matters worse, it was confusing poor Goten, who, due to Chi-Chi's own claims, was under the impression Goku was coming back, and Gohan couldn't find the heart to tell his little brother otherwise.   
  
"Oh Goku," Chi-Chi, unaware that neither of her sons were listening to her by this point, focusing entirely on eating instead. "If only you could set Gohan straight for me..."  
  
Grinding his teeth in a manner that has absolutely nothing to do with chewing, Gohan quickly finishing his food, and placed his dishes in the sink. "Alright Mom, I'm going to go do my homework!" He said, loudly and pointedly. "Good night!" Exiting the kitchen before his mother could even say goodnight, the boy went to his room, dropping his book-bag by his bead.  
  
" _Oh Dad...what would you think of Mom, if you saw her now?_ " Gohan thought, sliding into a chair at his desk in front of the window. " _Knowing you, you wouldn't even notice she's still grieving over you, even if she's locked in denial..._ " The boy kept his eyes locked out on the night sky, feeling the cool air blow into the room.   
  


* * *

  
  
The moon had since risen high into the sky, and Gohan collapsed onto his futon, feeling slightly weary. He had taken Goten outside, as promised, and spent several hours playing games with his younger brother until the child had simply fallen asleep. Having carried him back and placed him to bed, and now found himself unable to sleep, his mind wandering back to his last few minutes at school.  
  
"Erasa..." The murmur of her name escaped the hybrid's lips as he began to lose himself in his own thoughts. Her name...her face...her scent, all of it seemed so familiar, and yet he still couldn't place it. And yet he knew he'd met her somewhere before. " _Erasa...Erasa...that name..."_ And then, as if waking from a haze, a memory surfaced in his head. The memory of two innocent children meeting by chance in a city that brimmed with history.  
  
" _I'm Son Gohan._ "  
  
" _A family name? We definitely don't have those here. My name's Erasa._ "  
  
A multitude of emotions hit Gohan all at once; the foremost being embarrassment and a little bit of shame as well. How could he have forgotten Erasa? She'd be so kind to him when he met her, and they'd even had quite a lot of fun. Weren't those memories he should have held onto? " _I guess I really am like Dad in that regard_ ," Gohan thought to himself. But then a new emotion struck him. Two in fact.  
  
Relief. Relief and excitement. He'd found someone in his own school that he could talk to, and seem interested in talking to him as well. Just this thought felt like a weight off his shoulders. " _She already seems to know my identity, and she did tell me that I'd find out everything she knows by the end of tomorrow._ " Perhaps this whole 'school' thing might not be as difficult as it seemed. With these pleasant thoughts, Gohan drifted off to sleep.   
  


* * *

  
  
....was was woken several hours later by the shrill ringing of his alarm.   
  
"I'm awake, I'm awake!" The teenaged Saiyan cried at the top of his lungs, desperately fumbling with the alarm clock to avoid breaking it while shutting it off. "Whew boy...why did I ever put this thing in my room?" Reflecting briefly on how he disliked that clock, he quickly got up and began fumbling around his room, wondering why he felt so pleased with himself.  
  
Then his memories from last night came flooding back in full force. Erasa, that smiling girl from seven years ago, who'd helped him out when he was by himself in Orange Star City. Much to his chagrin, he'd forgotten her over the course of the seven years that had passed since they met. She, however, had not forgotten him, and Gohan was eager to make his first new — old, technically — friend at his new school.  
  
It only took him a few quick minutes to prepare for school, and it didn't take long for him to settle down at the breakfast table with Goten, taking his mother by surprise.  
  
"Gohan, you're up early!" She glanced at the clock; normally, she'd be calling for him to wake up within the next half hour. "What's the matter, dear? Couldn't sleep?"  
  
"Something along those lines," Gohan nodded quickly. His mother's rantings from the previous night were also fresh in his mind, and if he could avoid rousing her suspicion so early in the morning, he might be able to keep his good mood on the way back to school.   
  
Gohan's thinking was correct, as Chi-Chi's eyes narrowed at Gohan's vague answer, but, as she could find no reason to argue, she didn't, instead turning her attention to setting the table. Gohan, in his eagerness to get to school, quickly scarfed down his breakfast, placing his bowl in the sink as he grabbed his bentō and his book-bag and dashed out the door.  
  
"Mom, Goten, I'm heading out!" Gohan called back as he ran out into the crisp, morning air that surrounded the East District. "Kinto'un!"   
  
The Somersault Cloud came flying full pelt in Gohan's direction, and he wasted no time in leaping onto the magical cloud. "Alright Kinto'un! Forward, let's go!" The cloud, eager to go anywhere, tore off directly towards Satan City, leaving Chi-Chi at the doorstep of her home, looking at her son's vanishing form.  
  
"Goten, honey...please promise me you won't ever go on any dates when you get older," The woman looked down at her youngest son with imploring eyes.  
  
"Alright, I promise!" Goten smiled innocent at his mother, completely oblivious to her over-protectiveness in this instance.  
  


* * *

  
   
 **Satan City, Orange Star High School, Roof**  
  
"Alright, Kinto'un!" Gohan looked down off the side of the cloud, and was relieved to see no one was able to see him from this height. "Let me down right here this time!" The cloud headed straight for the rooftop, and Gohan jumped from its surface, landing neatly on the tiles. He turned back towards the sky, waving cheerfully. "Thanks, Kinto'un! I'll call you back for my ride home!"  
  
Gohan descended the stairs from the roof, heading down to his locker, fetching his supplies for the first three classes before lunch. He closed the locker and proceeded to classroom 3B. As he entered, he was surprised to see several people were already in the classroom despite how early it was; namely, Erasa, and Videl, among a few other nameless students.  
  
Gohan made his way to his seat, sitting down quietly. While he'd been in a euphoric high earlier this morning, now that he was sitting down, he didn't quite know what to say. After all, he'd forgotten her until just last night. " _How do I even go about explaining that?_ " He thought to himself, absentmindedly doodling on his notebook.  
  
"Mornin', Goldilocks," Erasa nudged Gohan in the ribs, whispering under her breath so Videl wouldn't hear. The action surprised Gohan, causing him to jump and completely shatter the mechanical pencil in his hand. "I shock you much?" She asked, stifling her laughter, not the least bit surprised that Gohan had shattered the pencil with the slightest bit of unconscious pressure.   
  
"T-that's a fair statement," Gohan hissed back at her, frantically scooping the shards of plastic and fragments of lead into his palm, and stowing it away within the recesses of his bag; he'd clean it out later. "Erasa, I...I'm not quite sure how I'm supposed to phrase this..."  
  
"You apologize for forgetting me?" Erasa asked slyly, a roguish smile slipping across her face. "What can I say, we did only meet once, for a day. Expecting you to remember me based on just that encounter would be asking too much wouldn't it?"  
  
Gohan was quickly taken aback by this. "No, that's not i-wait, how did you know what I was about to say?"  
  
"You were fidgeting," Erasa said pointedly. True to this, Gohan had been nervous ever since he'd taken his seat; he didn't think he'd been that obvious about it. As he recalled, however, she seemed to have a knack for reading people — reading him at the very least. "Either way, your apology is accepted." She winked, making it quite clear to Gohan she wasn't his absentmindedness against him.   
  
With the two caught up in their own conversation, they were blind to the sharp, watchful eyes of Videl, who was very disgruntled that Gohan had simply commandeered Erasa's time, and right in the middle of their own conversation no less. Sharpener pulled up to the chair next to her, and unlike Videl, took Gohan and Erasa's animated discussion in stride.  
  
"When did they become so chummy?" The blonde boy asked Videl, snapping her out of her daze.  
  
"I have no idea..." She bit her nail, her eyes never swiveling in Sharpener's direction. " _Erasa's never that into a discussion unless she really enjoys who she's talking to...and now that I think on it, haven't I seen this kid from somewhere before?_ " Videl, ever diligent in investigation of things that did not concern her, continued down this train of thought until Mr. Fahcolty stepped into the room, clearing his throat in a way to get their attention. It was only at that moment that Gohan and Erasa noticed the rest of their class had filed in.  
  
Mr. Fahcolty started by taking roll, and then allowing the kids to use homeroom for 'study hall', which gave many of them some much needed time to cobble together some answers for several unfinished homework assignments. The only students who didn't have any work to finish were Videl, Gohan, and Erasa; unsurprising to Mr. Fahcolty, who let out a sigh as he sat down at his desk and began grading papers. "They don't pay me enough for this job..." Gohan heard him mutter under his breath.  
  
"So, I'm curious, what made you remember?" Erasa inquired, leaning towards Gohan to keep curious ears from listening in. "Just yesterday, you didn't remember me at all, and now, here you are, trying to apologize for forgetting."  
  
"I've remembered everything, more or less," Gohan explained, pushing his supplies to the side. "When I had time to think about it, I kept focusing on you, and everything came flooding back to me; meeting you in Orange Star City, at Burger World, the festival."   
  
"So you were focusing on  _me_ , were you?" A coy smile crossed Erasa's face.  
  
"N-no, it wasn't anything like that!" Gohan retracted his statement quickly.  
  
Erasa giggled, causing the stuttering hybrid to gape with perplexity at her, "You're so funny! I was only kidding, Gohan."  
  
"Oh, sorry!" Gohan said back with a sheepish laugh, scratching the back of his head in reflex, something he also inherited from his father.   
  
A firm clap was heard from the teacher, however, causing Gohan to gulp apprhensively and Erasa to straighten up instinctively, "I assume you're both done sharing the punchline of such a humorous joke? Yes? Good. Then if you can please join the rest of the class in the regrettable state of reality, then we can all end this class that much sooner..."  
  
"I-I'm sorry!" Gohan called down, earning a sizable guffaw from the entire class, sans Videl and Erasa, the former staring intently at Gohan, bringing the phrase "if looks could kill" to mind. Working up his nerve, he asked her, "Can...I help you at all?"  
  
"I've seen you before," Videl replied sharply, the sternness of her gaze causing Gohan to flinch slightly.  
  
"Yes, you have," He replied slowly. "I saw you outside the bank just yesterday; it hasn't been that long."  
  
"No, before." The ebony-haired girl corrected, waving away Gohan's obvious answer. "I overheard you talking to Erasa;  _you_ were the boy she met seven years ago when my dad had that festival. I never caught your name then, but I'm not so dumb as to think she met two different boys in one day."  
  
"What are you getting at?" Gohan inquired, confused as to where this train of conversation was actually headed.   
  
"Back then...you were blonde." The girl explained, and Erasa and Gohan's eyes widened immediately. Both of them knew  _immediately_ the conclusion her brain was rushing towards; they could practically hear the gears turning. "Care to give us an explanation to that, Gohan?"  
  
Working fast, Gohan tried to come up with a plausible cover story to convince the girl. "Oh...uh you see...my mom-"  
  
"-obviously dyed his hair to give him a different look!" The lie slipped through Erasa's lips so easily, immediately rushing to Gohan's aide. "He grew out of it and is now showing his natural sleek black hair. Isn't that right, Gohan?"  
  
Catching on quickly, Gohan nodded his head feverishly in agreement. "Yeah, right! Mom always did take charge of my hairstyle!" He laughed weakly, and Videl remained thoroughly unconvinced. Before she could press her point further, however, the wristwatch under her glove let out a shrill beeping noise, and her attention was diverted.  
  
Pressing a button on the watch, her voice quickly became professional. "This is Videl; what's the issue?"  
  
" _A young girl was kidnapped by a masked individual along the side of Route 76 in Basket Town!_ " The voice of a panicked police officer came through the receiver of the wristwatch. " _We're in pursuit but we could use backup!_ "  
  
"I'm on my way!" Videl confirmed, leaping out of her seat and dashing down the stairs. "Mr. Fahcolty, I have to go!"  
  
"B-Be safe!" The man called out behind her, straightening his spectacles, the girl already vanishing from the room entirely.  
  
"Hey, Erasa, what just happened?" Gohan blinked, thoroughly confused at the events that had just transpired.  
  
"Oh, this is Videl's hobby," The girl explained lightly, without a care in the world. "Given that she is Mr. Satan's daughter, and she's not that bad a fighter, the police tend to call her in for backup whenever they need help. She must be doing a pretty good job, it's been about a year since this started."  
  
"W-wait, they ask her!?" Gohan repeated, stunned. " _Aren't they even the slightest bit worried that they're calling a human girl into situations like this!?_ "  
  
" _Ho ho ho!_ " The haughty laugh of Sharpener cut Gohan's thoughts off within seconds. "Don't underestimate Videl, Gohan. She's much stronger than I am, and at the rate she trains, she might even rival Mr. Satan."  
  
" _Rival Mr. Satan....at getting in over her head, sure!"_ Gohan thought incredulously. As the hybrid was about to stand up and follow Videl, he felt a thin hand grab his wrist, and looked over to see Erasa, who shook her head firmly.  
  
"Let Videl handle this one, Gohan," She told him quietly, and she felt him relax. "I know what you're thinking; you want to go out and help. But if you're going to pull double duty as the town superhero, you're going to need to show a little restraint. She's handled worse criminals than this before; the report didn't even indicate they were armed. Lay low."  
  
Begrudgingly, Gohan agreed, as he knew Erasa had a point. Everyone would get too suspicious if he left now, right after Videl had. Was balancing schoolwork and hero duty really going to be this...difficult?  
  


* * *

  
The bell signalling the end of the school day resounded throughout the building. Picking up his supplies, Gohan headed towards his locker, taking the textbooks he'd need to complete the assignments he'd gotten for homework. Closing his locker, Gohan found himself face to face with a smiling Erasa. "E-Erasa, what're you...?"  
  
"Your memory really is awful, Gohan," The girl scolded, lacing her tone with a false hurt that was easily betrayed by her persisting smile. "I told you yesterday, I would tell you everything I know about you after school, didn't I? I won't let you weasel out of it either; I already had to blow off an event Videl and I were going to for this, and to be frank, she's out for your blood."  
  
"Oh, that's right, you did say that," Gohan replied unhelpfully. If he was to be honest, he was definitely curious about just how exposed his secret identity was; where had Erasa picked up her information? "Alright, follow me."   
  
"Wait, do you even know the way to my house?" Erasa asked, quickly following behind Gohan as they ascended the stairs to the roof of the school.  
  
"Don't worry about that, you can show me on the way there," He replied, and then turned his attention to the sky. "Watch this. I think you'll find it interesting.  **Kinto'un!** " The Saiyan hybrid's voice echoed, until the familiar sound of his father's heirloom cloud greeted his ears. It sped down towards him, coming to a half just above the rooftop. "Erasa, this is Kinto'un."  
  
"Gah!" Erasa jumped back, absolutely shocked, and then proceeded to duck behind Gohan, peeking out at the cloud with curious, yet cautious, eyes. "Did that yellow cloud just move!?"  
  
"Yeah, it did," Gohan chuckled, trying to avoid any further laughter. "It's not so strange, Erasa. Think of Kinto'un like a jet flier, only a dozen times better. It was a gift from my father when I was much younger, so I've held onto it ever since."  
  
"So that's what it is..." Erasa walked out from beside Gohan, and walking over to the cloud, kneeling down next to it. "When you give it a second look, it's actually really cute!" The girl then wrapped her arms around the cloud, hugging it, and to her surprise, it felt ridiculously fluffy and soft to the touch. "And this cloud can take us anywhere?"  
  
"Anywhere, but only if you're pure of heart," Gohan replied, surprised, but very happy, with Erasa's reaction to the cloud. "Why don't you give it a try?" He gestured warmly to the cloud Erasa had locked in her grip. "Go ahead; get on."  
  
"You really can ride this?" Erasa was second-guessing Gohan's suggestions, but she was able to touch the cloud. Perhaps riding it wasn't that much of a stretch? "If I fall through the cloud, catch me, alright?" She asked, obviously nervous about climbing aboard a cloud. With surprising agility, the girl hoisted herself onto Kinto'un, and landed neatly on the surface. "I...I'm on!" She exclaimed in shock, gripping the puffs of Kinto'un in her excitement. "Gohan! I'm on a cloud!" She was giddy, giggling with her elation. "Can I try it!? It can fly, right? Let me try it!"  
  
" _Maybe she should have a test flight on it, just to get used to how it works,_ " Gohan thought to himself, though he was unsure if it would be safe for her to ride too far or fast out of his watchful eyes. "Kinto'un, show Erasa how you fly, but be careful!"  
  
"Kinto'un's your name, right?" Erasa cooed to the Somersault Cloud affectionately. "Go!" Clutching tightly to the cloud, it tore off from the rooftop at top speed, determined to impress its new rider. Gohan couldn't help but laugh at her excitement; with the cloud spiraling in the air and moving as fast as a normal human could endure, Erasa's cheers filled the evening sky.  
  
After a few more minutes of the cloud pulling off loop-the-loops in the air, Gohan called the cloud back down to the roof. As Erasa slid off, she appeared to be tired and out of breath, as if she'd just run a mile. "Gohan that was...amazing! And you do this everyday?"  
  
"Whenever I need to come to school, yeah," Gohan replied, smiling at her breathless excitement. "Now that you've got the hang of it, shouldn't we head back to your place?" Clambering onto the cloud, Gohan sat as close to the edge as he could to give Erasa some room. Upon joining him, she wrapped her arms around Gohan's waist, pulling him closer for support, causing the boy to flinch slightly in shock. "E-Erasa, what are you doing?"  
  
"It'd be a shame if I fell off, wouldn't it?" She replied in a kittenish manner, obviously enjoying seeing Gohan's flustered face. "So let me hold onto you until we get home."  
  
Despite his crimson face, Gohan actually couldn't argue Erasa's logic in this situation — or perhaps he just didn't want to — and prodded Kinto'un forward; the cloud took off at a rocket pace, carrying the two teenagers above the city skyline. The speed at which Kinto'un could fly made the city seem much smaller to Erasa than ever before, and within mere minutes, she pointed down at the ground and cried, "There it is Gohan! My house is that one, the one with no lights on!"   
  
Erasa was pointing to a one-story house; because it had no lights on, this made it easy for Gohan to turn Kinto'un towards the ground and make a landing. "Thanks, Kinto'un! I'll call you back when I have to leave!" The cloud ascended into the sky and out of sight, shocking the few people who were still on the street at this hour.  
  
"Well, come on in!" Erasa said cheerfully, unlocking the door to her home with a key, opening the door and stepping inside. She motioned for Gohan to follow her, and he did so, albeit nervously. Stepping in carefully, both teenagers kicked off their shoes as Erasa flipped the light switch on.  
  
The house itself was rather quaint; it seemed fit for a very small family, and this was Gohan's first impression of it. He immediately recognized the scent of this house; it smelled of the same naturally sweet scent that Erasa possessed, but he could detect another human scent that lingered throughout the house; sweet and bitter at the same time, with the aroma of salt and pepper. "Do you only live with one other person?" He inquired before he could stop the question from pouring out of his mouth.  
  
"Yeah, I do." Erasa replied with surprise as she placed her book-bag on the family room's glass table. "I live with my dad, and I have for awhile, ever since my mother passed away. Ever since I entered high school, he's been working more often, so I usually have the place to myself. How'd you know that?"  
  
"Uh..." Gohan's first recourse was to try and spin a lie, but he saw Erasa's eyes narrow. She was obviously analyzing him, and he let out a defeated sigh. "My sense of smell," He explained, slumping if slightly. "It's better than a normal person's, and I'm able to detect scents and odors you wouldn't pick up."   
  
"Given the flying cloud, and the multitude of other things I've seen you do, that's actually the least surprising thing so far," Erasa replied, and her tone showed she wasn't in the least bit shocked at this. "Now, I think you've waited long enough. Come on, I'll show you to my room."  
  
"W-wait, what!?" Gohan protested, but the girl latched onto his arm, and pulled him through the house, towards the flight of stairs. Gohan noticed that, despite only living with her dad, the house, despite it's modest look, had more than enough of the average luxuries one could expect. The family room, as he passed by, had a large TV, comfy looking sofas, as well as what appeared to be the latest FONY gaming system.   
  
In spite of Gohan's — rather weak — protests, Erasa led the young Saiyan up the stairs, where they were met with two closed doors facing opposite ends. Before she even opened the door, Gohan could automatically tell which room was Erasa's, as her unique aroma came from inside.   
  
"Stop struggling and in we go!" Erasa crowed cheerfully as she wrenched open her door. Flipping on the light switch inside the room, Gohan was confronted with an onslaught of colours that assailed his eyes; bright baby blues with blinding yellow highlights, the entire room might as well been a light on its own power. Looking around, Gohan immediately concluded this room might have been fit for a younger child, and realized it hadn't changed much since Erasa had been younger. There were patterns of clouds on the ceiling and waves on the walls; Gohan could tell they'd been added through the delicate stroke of a paintbrush years ago. Several shelves were filled with what seemed to be toys from childhood, and there was even a chest that contained very childish things. Just looking at this room showed Erasa was the kind of person who held tightly to the past. Looking around, the only additions in the room that seemed new, to Gohan's eyes, was the desktop computer Erasa owned, made by the Largehard company, and the fluffy bed she owned, which obviously had to be replaced to accommodate her growing up.  
  
"Um..." Gohan began, raising a finger towards the ceiling.   
  
"You're curious about the patterns?" Erasa asked, plopping herself down on her bed. "I used to have a vested interest in art when I was younger. Dad figured the creativity and expression was good for me, especially after mom died. After while, I'd covered nearly my entire room with clouds and waves. I guess it's because I've always liked the beach, so those patterns just flowed naturally."  
  
"I see..." Gohan replied quietly. True to the point, she had mentioned her mother was dead, but he hadn't had much time to take that in as she had dragged him up here. "I'm sorry to hear that. While I know it's not much consolation, my dad died as well, seven years ago. So, I know how you feel."  
  
Erasa let out a startled gasp, quickly covering her mouth with her hand to stifle it. His father was dead? Her memory flashed back to the man with upright blonde hair who had come to pick up Gohan seven years ago, and then remembered it was the same man who had primarily fought Cell in the Cell Games. With that, exactly how he'd died clicked in her head, and there was an awkward silence between the two for a few moments, before she said, "I guess that's something we both have in common..."  
  
"Yeah..." Gohan replied quietly. Trying to find a way to escape the awkward silence, his eyes wandered, halting immediately upon seeing a familiar stuffed animal sitting upright on Erasa's bed. Walking over to it, he picked it up, and much to his surprise, found that he recognized it. "E-Erasa, is this the bear I won at the festival?"  
  
"Hm?" Gohan's question snapped Erasa out of the funk she was in, and she immediately smiled at the sight of the bear. "That's the very same! I kept him ever since you won him for me as a prize, and he's been well taken care of! He even has a name; Ippan!"   
  
"I...ppan?" The hybrid's face flushed pink at the name. "That's quite an interesting name you've chosen." Placing the bear down, Gohan noticed that it was in absolutely perfect condition. " _She really must have treasured it,_ " He thought to himself as he finally sat down next to her. "So...is this where you start explaining?"  
  
Nodding, Erasa stood up, walking over to the cabinet under her television. Reaching in, she pulled out several video cassette tapes, wrapped in plastic. "Most of what you need to know is right here on these," She said, holding up the tapes for Gohan to see.   
  
"On those tapes?" Gohan looked at them curiously. "What's on them?"  
  
"These are videos of the Cell Games," She replied, brandishing the videos in Gohan's direction as she removed the plastic.   
  
" _Videos..of the Cell Games!?_ " Gohan thought incredulously, eyeing the cassettes with apprehension. " _I thought the footage had been destroyed...and people have these? And even worse, watch them like home movies!?"  
_  
"You'd be surprised how quickly these recordings actually sold when the entire event ended. And on these tapes...is you." She took out one of the cassettes, and placed it into the VCR that sat in front of her television, turning the device on and allowing the video to play.  
  
The scene that greeted Gohan's eyes was only too familiar to the teenage hybrid; a pure white tournament ring, set up in the middle of a nearly barren wasteland. To be frank, it was a setting more fit for a graveyard, and Gohan had to assume that was why Cell had chosen it for the site of his Cell Games. " _This really is it..._ " He thought to himself, his eyes now locked on the screen. He had to admit the quality of the video could be better, but the cameraman was probably far too terrified to keep a steady hand the entire time. The camera panned over to a group of individuals, the strangest assortment of people that humanity ever thought they would see come to save the Earth.  
  
The Z-Fighters.  
  
Naturally, Gohan recognized each and every person present; Krillin, Tien, Yamcha, Vegeta, Trunks from the future, as well as himself, who was a Super Saiyan at the time. But what hit home with Gohan the most was the sight of the one competitor who hadn't made it out alive; his father.  
  
"Dad..." Gohan breathed, and Erasa flashed him a look of concern.  
  
Stepping into the ring, wearing his trademark orange gi from the Turtle School of Martial Arts, was Son Goku.  
  
" _As I'm sure you know by now...I've been waiting for this..._ " The voice of Cell, the menace who terrorized the planet seven years ago, caught Gohan's ears; the audio, while faulty, was easily perceived by his Saiyan hearing. However, the words were crystal as he remembered hearing Cell speak as if it were just yesterday.  
  
"The little blonde boy in the sidelines, that's you, isn't it?" Erasa gestured to the younger Gohan's face, as the camera panned over him and his comrades once more. The boy in the screen was watching his father intently, and Gohan could see two perspectives from this; the screen was looking at, where he saw his own younger face, and the ring, in which his father had taken a fighting stance against Cell. He still remembered that feeling of faith he had in his father's skills to combat Cell. How wrong he had been.  
  
"Yeah...that kid is me..." Gohan replied quietly, his eyes on the screen. He didn't need to see a video to remember the Cell Games; those memories would never leave him.  
  
Erasa removed the current cassette, much to Gohan's relief; seeing his father's face, hearing his voice, especially in the setting of the Cell Games, was too much.  The click of another cassette tape caught Gohan's attention, and the battle cry of Cell greeted his ears, taking him back to when he'd stepped into the fray at the behest of his father.  
  
" _Around the time Dad tossed Cell a Senzu Bean,_ " Gohan inwardly sighed at his father's better nature. " _I sometimes wonder what he would have done if that gesture of good will had backfired on all of us."_  
  
" _Wonderful...now let's get started..._ " Cell's voice rang loud and clear in Gohan's ears, enhancing the choppy quality of the audio that Erasa herself could barely make out. " _So, child? Are you ready?_ " Gohan could see his younger counterpart bracing himself, letting out a mighty cry unto the heavens as he began to raise his own battle power in preparation for the fight against Cell.  
  
"You were a competitor in the Cell Games," Erasa continued with her mention of the obvious. "I'd seen the footage, when it was broadcast around the globe, and I immediately recognized you. It's hard to forget someone like you after only a week, Gohan."  
  
"So, these videos are how you knew?" Gohan pried, trying to focus on Erasa, to bring himself back to the present, back to this room; away from the Cell Games and the horrors that had occurred there. It became obvious to Erasa that the footage was causing Gohan discomfort, and she quickly pressed a button on her remote, ejecting the cassette.  
  
Thinking it best to finish her explanation, Erasa continued, breaking the resumed silence that permeated the colourful room. "The cassettes weren't the only thing. I drew my final conclusion about your identity as the Gold Fighter when I remembered what you did when we first met; you saved me, Gohan. From the oncoming truck?"  
  
Gohan remembered this very clearly. His body, in a desire to keep Erasa from getting crushed, reacted in an instant. Snatching her from the side of the road, he had moved her to the other sidewalk before any onlookers could witness his instantaneous movement.His entire body had reacted on one single desire: protect Erasa.   
  
"I've also seen you fly," Erasa added brightly, and this surprised Gohan, causing him to give her a wide-eyed stare.  
  
"You've even seen me fly?" He responded in shock. "When was this?"  
  
"When your dad came to pick you up," The blonde girl explained, and the moment surfaced in Gohan's memory. "Both of you were flying; that can't have been any kind of trick. What really cemented it, though, was your little...performance...in P.E. You aren't really that good at holding back your superhuman abilities, and it didn't take long to realize that you had to be the Gold Fighter. Everything  _fit_."  
  
"Urk!" Gohan flinched at this; the amount of insight Erasa had on him by this point was staggering. Despite this, Gohan also felt, if he dared say it, relieved. "I'm surprised...you've definitely analyzed this through-and-through. To be truthful, I've been apprehensive about anyone knowing what I can do. My mother, and a friend of my father's both warned me I could be treated differently if people found out what I could do, when all I want to do is blend in. Even if I can't be normal, I want to try my hand at a normal life."  
  
"Gohan..." Erasa murmured quietly, her sapphire eyes locking their gaze on the Saiyan boy who was laying his heart out for the girl to see.  
  
"Then I met you," Gohan carried on, his onyx eyes meeting Erasa's sapphire orbs. "Someone who figured out the truth about me, and you're still treating me like I'm average; like a friend, even. I'm grateful, Erasa. To have someone I can talk to...I didn't expect something like this to happen when I arrived in this city."  
  
Erasa smiled, a soft, kind smile that could make the heart melt. "You can relax around me, Gohan. Unwind. I'll be here for you if you need anything. I'll even help you pull double duty as the Golden Warrior; playing hero seems to be something you can't stop doing." She waggled a finger at him, winking playfully. "I'll help you blend in, alright?"  
  
"Thanks, Erasa," Gohan answered, entirely convinced that what Erasa said was true.   
  
"Erasa! I'm back!" A disembodied male voice came from downstairs, causing both teenagers to jump in shock.  
  
"My dad's home!" Erasa hissed under her breath, a look of panic on her face. "If he sees you up here, Gohan, he will flip! We've got to get you out!"   
  
"Crap!" The hybrid jumped up, and his first reaction was to make a break for the window, just as they heard footsteps coming towards the stairs. "Erasa, I'll see you tomorrow in school, alright?"  
  
"Alright, tomorrow, now go before he opens the door!" She insisted, waving him off in earnest. "We'll take more about this tomorrow!"  
  
"R-right!" Gohan deftly leaped out of the window, propelling himself high into the air, just in time to hear Erasa's door click open. He'd just barely made it. "So, Erasa really does know everything about me...and she's doesn't treat me any different at all." Gohan's face broke out into a wide smile as he realized for the first time, he finally had a human friend. The familiar shape of Kinto'un descended next to him, flying at top speed alongside its owner.  
  
"Come on, Kinto'un!" Gohan crowed into the night sky. "I'll race you on home!"  
  
But as Gohan raced home, his thoughts full of bliss at his accomplishment, he didn't consider the threat waiting for him at home.  
  
An angry Chi-Chi.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Chapter 3 is finally done and whoo-boy was this a doozey to write. Like the first chapter, this chapter was pretty much all me; no source material to speak of with the exception of Videl's exit to go fight crime, but I changed that up a bit to make sure Gohan needn't interfere with her hobby — this time. I have to thank my friend Mangetsu20 twice over this time; he helped me sit down and brainstorm some ideas for this, in addition to being my beta reader who read the finished chapter prior to my putting it out, to make sure it was ship-shape. Thanks man, you are a HUGE help here. 
> 
> Three things of note this time, before I sign out; to anyone who doesn't know, the word "ippan" (一般) means "bowl of rice" or "meal", which is nearly the exact same meaning as the word "gohan" (ご飯), which means "cooked rice" or "meal". She named the bear Gohan won after Gohan, in a unique little way. And, to anyone who sees that Erasa is also missing a parent...that actually was unintentional; I didn't plan on them sharing that until I wrote it out, and decided it would be a way they could bond! I'd also like to see how many people get the "Largehard" and "Fony" names, without me having to explain them; and no, the former is not innuendo. Anyway, that's all for this installment, everyone! Stay tuned for the next chapter!


	4. Moving Forward

" _Why did I have to be stuck with such an overbearing mother?_ " This thought ran through Gohan's head as he rode to school the next day on Kinto'un. It wasn't that he disliked his mother — far from it — she simply had a habit of overreacting. Granted, it had been his fault that he had come home late last night, but Chi-Chi didn't seem to quite understand something important.  
  
Gohan could take care of himself. Better than any human teenager, for that matter.   
  
" _She's so bent on having a normal life that she forgets it's impossible for any of us,"_  Gohan thought to himself in frustration. It had become impossible the moment she chose Goku for a husband, no matter how much she tried to emulate the rustic life in terms of their remote location. He let out a sigh as his mind wandered to his mother's verbal smack-down of him last night.  
  


* * *

  
 **East District 439, Base of Mount Paozu, Son Residence; The Previous Night  
**  
"Where were you!?" Gohan flinched under the shrill, commanding voice of his mother as she towered over him on a comical fit of rage. "I ask one thing of you Gohan, just _one thing!_  Be home at eight 'o clock sharp! That's when I have dinner on the table, isn't it!?"   
  
She was raving mad, and Gohan took her shrieking in silence. He didn't have any real excuse, it had been his fault that he was late, so he didn't open his mouth to reply.   
  
"I don't know  _where_  we went wrong with you, Gohan!" The ebony-haired woman threw a dish absentmindedly into the sink, glaring at her eldest son. "Maybe high school is too much for you! I knew I should have kept homeschooling you,  _I knew I should have!_ " She sighed theatrically, before rounding on her son again. "It's that minx you met on your first day, isn't it!? She's distracting you from your studies! Gohan, do I need to go up to your school tomorrow and tell her off? All this...fraternizing can't be good for you!"  
  
Gohan's eyes narrowed at Chi-Chi's bold statement, and he felt himself reflexively clench his fists tightly in annoyance. "No Mom, you don't need to do that." He said through clenched teeth, struggling to keep his voice steady. "If you would please calm down, and think about it for a moment. There wouldn't be any point in me going to a public school if I wasn't going to make a friend or two. Just because that friend happens to be a girl isn't grounds for you to panic."  
  
"Son, what I want you to understand is, an up-and-coming scholar doesn't have time to associate with girls," Chi-Chi replied fiercely. "I don't want anything standing in the way of your success!"  
  
"Mom, I'm trying get you to listen—!" Gohan's futile reply was cut off by his mother's angry retort.  
  
"No, you listen to me! You lost the right to reason with me when you broke the one rule I laid down," Chi-Chi responded in a heaving tone. Her shoulders rising up and down with her chest, further emphasizing just how infuriated she was. "you break my trust, of course I'm going to be angry!"  
  
"I'm sorry, mom, really!" Gohan pleaded further, keeping his fists balled near his sides to contain his rapidly rising anger.   
  
Sighing heavily, Chi-Chi turned her back to her eldest child. Massaging both of her temples, she sighed with resignation, "Well...I guess your father wouldn't mind you making friends. Though I'm sure he wouldn't approve of you missing more than one curfew."  
  
Turning on her heels, Chi-Chi poked Gohan's chest as she glared up with dark promise behind her onyx orbs, "I'm letting you off with a warning, Gohan. Miss curfew again, and there will be consequences. Understand?!"   
  
Gohan nodded, sighing with relief but failed to muster up the strength to smile.

* * *

  
  
 Much to his relief, he saw the now familiar sight of Satan City coming into view, and couldn't help but appreciate the fact that he was happy just to be back here. As Kinto'un approached the edge of the city, something that brought if possible, further relief and happiness to Gohan caught his eye; Erasa, who was standing at a lamppost near the edge of the city, waiting on Gohan to arrive.  
  
"Hey Gohan!" Erasa called down from the ground, waving up at the dashing cloud. As if on command, Gohan steered Kinto'un towards the ground, landing neatly next to Erasa.   
  
"Need a ride?" The teenage Saiyan asked cheerfully, a feeling of elation rushing into simply at the sight of Erasa. To him, the sight of a familiar, friendly face made his mother seem as far as mentally as she was physically, and that was just what he needed.  
  
"I dunno, I was always told to avoid getting into cars with strange people," Erasa replied playfully.   
  
"Kinto'un isn't a car, and I'm not people," Gohan shot back, and Erasa laughed, climbing aboard the flying cloud, gripping onto Gohan's waist as they ascended into the air again.  
  
"So, how'd last night go?" Gohan asked immediately, not having forgotten how he was unceremoniously forced out of Erasa's home last night when her father had returned home.   
  
"It went easily enough," Erasa replied casually. "Dad was suspicious at first; the expression on my face was a dead giveaway, it seemed. But I managed to convince him it was just my re-watching of the Cell Games that had me so spooked. What about you? You make it home alright?"  
  
The gears grinding in Gohan's brain, he decided that telling Erasa the truth about how his mother had reacted when he'd made it back home; doing so would simply spoil her good mood. "It, uh, went fine," Gohan was wishing he could lie as smoothly as Erasa could, and he could already see her sapphire orbs narrowing in response to his statement. Working fast, Gohan spun a very weak lie, "I made it home, did my schoolwork, and went to sleep; it went pretty easy!"   
  
"Gohan..." Erasa said sternly, leaning over his shoulder. "You have really got to work on that poker face if you want to tell an kind of lie around me."  
  
"O-okay, okay, you got me," Gohan replied quickly, and started rummaging through his book-bag quickly, an act that garnered Erasa's curious gaze. Rustling through textbooks, pencil cases, and several papers, Gohan pulled out a thin sheet of paper obviously taken from a sketchbook. "I got sidetracked last night, and I worked on a concept for a 'superhero persona' before I went to bed." In actuality, he'd worked on the concept to distract himself from his mother, but he needn't tell Erasa that.   
  
Erasa took the paper from Gohan, and gave it a looking over. " _He's...good at drawing but what is this?_ "She was right to question such a strange design. To her, it simply looked ridiculous, like something one would see on a children's television show. The outfit in the concept consisted of a tunic, black tights, white gloves and boots similar to those worn by two competitors in the Cell Games, a cape, and an helmet with a visor. Sketched off to the sides were an alternate version of headgear featuring a bandana and sunshades.   
  
"So, what do you think?" Gohan asked eagerly, almost childish in a way, as he waited to see what Erasa's reaction would be. His joy, however, was quickly cut short, as the sound of shredding reached his ears. Erasa, with a comically deadpan expression, ripped the concept paper into halves, then quarters, and finally eights, each time more aggressively, before throwing the pieces of paper off the side of Kinto'un.   
  
"M-my concept art!" Gohan futilely tried to grab the pieces while remaining perched on Kinto'un. His precious superhero concept art had been ripped into pieces.  
  
"Don't feel bad, Gohan," Erasa said playfully, mussing up Gohan's hair in her attempt to console him. "You look so much better as the Golden Warrior."  
  
Gohan's distress vanished almost instantly as Erasa's words caused him to flush like a beet. " _In that case, I don't think I should show her concepts two through forty-five_." He thought to himself as Kinto'un landed neatly on the top of their school building.   
  
"Thanks for the ride, Kinto'un!" Erasa waved to the cloud cheerfully as it took off. It appeared she was already getting along very well with the Somersault Cloud.  "You know, Gohan, while the overall design was horrific, you're actually a really good artist!"  
  
"Is that so?" Gohan laughed weakly, unsure how to respond to such a backhanded compliment.   
  
"Even though I can't say I liked the design, I really did like the detail you put into the sketch," She said gently as Gohan opened his locker to swap the textbooks he had with the ones he would need. "You also seem to have a fairly decent understanding, given the detail you placed into the body as well."  
  
As much as Gohan liked to receive praise from Erasa, his humble nature caused him to shrug it off without actually basking in the moment. "Its just one of many hobbies. Sometimes I play piano, clarinet, or even write—"  
  
Eyes wide as saucers, Erasa cut Gohan off mid sentence, "Whoa, slow down mister industrious! You're a musician as well as a writer too?!"  
  
"Yeah. Mom was real eager in getting me to become a jack of all trades since I could walk," Gohan explained, none too happy when he realized one of his first memories involved sheet music. "You could say that's how I got to take anything new that's academic in stride."  
  
Erasa laughed brightly, a laugh that sounded more akin to wind chimes to Gohan than a sound that could truly come from the human throat. "Gohan, you truly are one-of-a-kind."  
  
Stopping in front of Erasa's locker briefly, the two made their way to the classroom, which was empty for the most part, with the exception of a few students who arrived early. Among them being Sharpener, and Videl, the latter who wore an expression notably similar to the one Gohan saw on Chi-Chi's face when he'd returned home late.  
  
As the two took their chosen seats, Videl craned her head at them, eyes narrowed suspiciously. "Did you two walk to school together or something?" She asked, her tone skeptical.   
  
"Well, I gave Erasa a lift," Gohan replied innocently, not knowing he was simply fueling Videl's fire.  
  
"Erasa, calm down, it's nothing to get worked up about," Erasa said soothingly, trying to assuage whatever worries were working their way into the heroine's mind. "You and I walk to school all the time as well, don't we? So what's the harm in Gohan and I coming to school together?"  
  
"I-It's completely different!" Videl spluttered incredulously, unable to comprehend how either of these two could possibly be so naïve.   
  
"Let them breathe, Videl," Sharpener intervened, much to everyone's surprise, cutting off the girl in the middle of her lecture. "Besides, it's not like I've never given either of you a ride to and from school before. Ease up, will ya?"  
  
Gohan was caught off guard by Sharpener's intervention; hadn't this been the student who was more than verbally aggressive only a few days prior?   
  
"So, Gohan, you consider my offer to join the boxing club?" The long-haired blonde asked pointedly.   
  
" _And that explains it,_ " Gohan thought as he gave Sharpener a very quick, deadpan refusal, causing a bitter look to cross Sharpener's face.  
  
"Videl is starting to remind me an awful lot of my own mother," Gohan whispered to Erasa under his breath, timing his comment with Videl turning her attention away from them in a huff. "She seems to be almost obsessive about preventing us from spending any kind of time together."  
  
"I've started to clue in on that," Erasa replied in a hushed voice. "So I was thinking...why not spend the weekend together with me?" She winked at Gohan, pressing a red pencil to his chest in a playful motion. "You and I can have the entire weekend to relax without your mother or Videl hounding behind us."  
  
"That sounds great!" Gohan replied, elated at the prospect of actually having some time alone with Erasa. "I recommend showing up around noon this Saturday. Is that alright?"  
  
"I'll be there!" Erasa's elation showed through her voice. With the time set, the two would finally get their alone time, out of the prying eyes of Chi-Chi or Videl.  
  


* * *

  
 **East District 439, Mount Paozu, Bamboo Forest, Saturday  
  
** "You can't catch me, Gohan!" The euphoric cry of the young Goten echoed throughout the area as he dashed along the mountainside, weaving in and around bamboo stalks to avoid his pursuing older brother.  
  
"Just you wait, Goten! I'm not so out of it that I can't tag you!" Gohan, laughing at his brother's infectious excitement, dashed after him.   
  
Goten, thinking quickly, latched onto the nearest stalk of bamboo, applying his Saiyan strength to cause the giant trunk to bend forward. "And CHARGE!" He cried, releasing his pressure on it; the stalk shot back in the direction Goten had bent it from, launching the boy towards his brother in a surprise maneuver.  
  
"Whoa there!" Gohan reacted on reflex, quickly leaning to the left and dodging Goten's startling aggressive strike — a reflexive action drilled into him through harsh training with Piccolo.  
  
"You fell for it!" Goten replied, laughing madly as he landed on all fours. Now crouching down much like a monkey, he made a mad scramble in the other direction, desperate to lose his older brother in the forest.  
  
"You're not getting away that easily!" The older brother made a mad dash after Goten, each of them ducking around the stalks to avoid damaging the forest.   
  
The otherwise strange occurrence taking place was referred to by Goten as "Super Tag", a game that is essentially the same as regular tag, but Gohan and Goten use the entirety of their mountain home as their playground, and thus, the game is played on a much grander scale. "Super Tag" was the Son siblings favorite game to play, albeit for different reasons. Goten enjoyed it simply due to his childish nature. Gohan, on the other hand, enjoyed it because the energy exerted in the game easily tired Goten out, thus giving him more time to do what he needed to do during the day — and on a day like today, he needed to garner as much time as he could.  
  
The two proceeded like this for a few more hours, Gohan working hard to ensure Goten exerted himself as much as possible. This was entirely part of Gohan's plan —the longer they played, the more exhausted Goten would becoming, giving Gohan a clear field to spend the remainder of the day with Erasa. When it was high noon, Goten collapsed on his rear next to a large bamboo stalk.   
  
"Whoo boy!" Goten crowed as he wiped a thin sheen of sweat from his forehead. "You're really fast, Gohan! I didn't think anyone was faster than me or Trunks!"  
  
"No, you surprised me, kiddo!" Gohan skidded to a stop alongside a flowing river, kneeling by the side to wash his face, wiping the sweat away. "I'm surprised how quick and resourceful you are! You might actually make a good training partner if I ever need to get the gears running again!"  
  
"Really!? You mean it!?" Goten's eyes glittered with excitement. "You'll really let me train with you!? Promise!?"  
  
"Of course I mean it!" The older sibling replied, flattered that his brother was so excited at the prospect of training — he really was just like their father. "When I need a really strong training partner, you're the man!"  
  
"I get to train with Gohan, I get to train with Gohan!" The younger sibling cheered in excitement, nearly jumping the height of the bamboo tree with his newly restored energy.  
  
"C-calm down, Goten!" Gohan urged in a panic; had his plan backfired with just a few words of encouragement? "We can't start training right this instant!" These words shot Goten down like a rock and he dropped back to his seat along the riverbed. "So...since our game of tag is done, and you did say you were tired, do you want us to head on home?"  
  
" _Super_ Tag!" Goten insisted childishly, puffing his cheeks out. "It's not cool if you don't call it 'Super', Gohan!"  
  
"Alright, I've got it!" Gohan laughed weakly, raising his arms up defensively.   
  
"I'll wait here for Trunks!" Goten decided, kicking his legs energetically. "He said he'd come over to play today, and if I wait here, he can just find me by feeling for my energy!"  
  
"You're alright with me just leaving you here?" Gohan inquired, hardly able to believe his luck. Goten already had plans, he didn't need to return home and make some quick excuse to his mother as to where he was heading; could he really be this lucky? "Alright, Goten, then I'll see you at dinner!" Gohan immediately took off flying, waving down at his younger brother. "Don't get lost on the way home!"  
  
"I won't!" Goten called upwards, waving frantically as his brother flew off.  
  
"I suppose I should make myself visible, if I assume Erasa is arriving by jet flier." Gohan thought aloud, and he took off straight towards his house, an aura of white ki surrounding him as he flew at top speed. Arriving at his home in record time, Gohan landed quietly on the rooftop of his spherical house, determined not to tip off his mother, and simply waited. Sitting idly for around a half hour, he heard the purr of a vehicle's engine; Gohan used his Saiyan eyes to gain a clear picture of what was in the distance. To his great pleasure, he saw Erasa piloting a hovercraft.   
  
" _I should get her to land that away from the house!_ " Gohan thought frantically, lifting himself into the air, flying towards Erasa's hovercraft. The last thing either of them needed was Chi-Chi seeing Erasa land that craft in front of their house; Gohan could just imagine the reaction, and that would ruin his and Erasa's day. Pulling quickly up towards the window of the hovercraft, Gohan tapped as gently as he could to get Erasa's attention.  
  
The blonde girl jumped in shock; she hadn't seen Gohan arrive next to her, and she slammed the brakes to come to a complete stop, the vehicle living true to it's name and simply hovering. "Gohan!" She gasped, breathing heavily. "Please don't do that again, I nearly swerved this thing in shock!"  
  
"S-sorry!" Gohan apologized quickly. "Erasa, I'm going to need you to park that thing out of sight; if Mom sees you pulling up by our house, she will flip out!"  
  
aking Gohan's word for it that Chi-Chi's reaction would be comically over the top(, Erasa agreed to follow Gohan's plan of discretion. Following his silver-hued lit trail of light, she eventually was led) towards a secluded meadow open enough for her to land. Soon after Gohan tapped down on the ground, the hovercraft thrummed down to the grassy field, gently clanking to a perfect landing. With the brief clicking of gears, the bubble shaped shield pulled back, allowing Erasa to make a agile jump down to the soft soil in front of her aircraft  
  
When she stood on her feet, Gohan couldn't help but have his eyes drawn to distinct changes to her appearance.   
  
Trading her various style of halter tops she adorned for her schooling days, Erasa now affixed a lime-hued tank top with a black undershirt pooling underneath the emerald colored, sleeveless fabric. A pair of white shorts replaced her normal pair of jeans and knee length bright cargo pants. In doing this, it granted an alluring view of her creamy complexioned legs, leading down to a pair of green laced white tennis shoes. The casual nature of her attire complimented her bright smile and curious sapphire eyes blinking at his staring onyx orbs.   
  
"Gohan?" Erasa inquired aloud, a perplexed smile stretching across her face.   
  
Gohan shook his head, scratching his head with a habitual reflex. As he laughed sheepishly, he couldn't help but wave his free arm in her direction to help emphasize his awe, "I just...you look so fantastic! I almost didn't recognize you out of your school clothes!"   
  
Erasa giggled, raising her hand up to cup her mouth to stifle her laughter. Even as the half-breed looked on with confusion, she did her best to hide a blush of her own at the compliment, even if it was clumsily given. Lowering her hand back to rest over her chest, she batted her eyes playfully at her friend, "Oh Gohan, such a man with great words. One of these days you'll need to write a book to share such great words with the rest of the world!"   
  
"Haha, maybe someday!" Gohan laughed with playful agreement.  
  
"Then there's you," Erasa said impishly, walking over to Gohan and tugging on his shirt in a playful motion. Like Erasa, Gohan had abandoned the common clothing he'd done for school days, but his attire was far more uninhibited than hers. The hybrid had chosen very simple clothing for this occasion: A sleeveless white shirt that detailed Gohan's chiseled Saiyan physique, grey-hued sweatpants, and a pair of black laced white athletic shoes.   
  
"You really are in good shape," Erasa observed, blushing slightly. She'd only seen Gohan in his fairly conservative school ensemble before, and inwardly wondered how his clothes could hide so much muscle. " _I wonder how the people of the city would react to see just how much the real hero puts the idol to shame._ " She thought in amusement.   
  
"You really think so?" Gohan replied sheepishly. Admittedly, he had been slacking off in his training ever since his dad had passed on, and thus, by the standards of his father and Vegeta, he was actually 'out of shape', but something about Erasa's silver words gave him a sense of pride.

* * *

  
 **West City, Capsule Corporation, Gravity Chamber**  
  
Meanwhile, in West City, the Saiyan Prince named Vegeta was working hard at training, using the Gravity Chamber based on the same mechanism used by Goku during his 5-day flight to Namek. Suddenly, he seized up, and felt his eyes force themselves shut, his nose scrunching up, and his lips part as he jerked forward, letting loose a violent sneeze. Blinking rapidly, the Saiyan Prince wiped his nose, muttering to himself, "Someone must be talking about me."  
  


* * *

  
  
"So, what are we going to do today?" Erasa asked Gohan curiously as the two teenagers left the clearing, and her hovercraft, behind. "It's quite obvious we can't hang out at your house — not just yet anyway — but did you plan anything?"  
  
"Actually, I did have something in mind," Gohan assured her, a smile crossing his face. "Erasa, you've never really been outside Satan City, have you?"  
  
"To be honest, not really," Erasa confessed. "Satan City IS a big city, so it's not like there's any need to actually leave it. In fact, this might be the farthest I've traveled on my own."  
  
"Perfect!" Gohan exclaimed, before calling out into the sky a name that was familiar to Erasa by this point. "Kinto'un!" The familiar whizzing of the Somersault Cloud caught the ears of Gohan first, and then Erasa, whose eyes lit up at the sight of the magical artifact.   
  
"I've decided I'd take you across the continent," The hybrid couldn't help but laugh at the girl's infectious excitement. "The next stop is everywhere, so are you ready to go?"  
  
"This is what you've had in mind?" Erasa bubbled, eyes glinting as she looked at Kinto'un. Her mind already picturing herself and Gohan flying the cloud across the countryside.  
  
"Huh?" Gohan queried, misinterpreting Erasa's question entirely. "You don't want to?"  
  
"Of course I do!" Erasa countered quickly, almost sternly. "I didn't think this was what you had in mind at all, Gohan!"  
  
It was becoming quite clear to Gohan that he'd made the correct choice; taking Erasa out of the city, especially given how little she'd seen, might be just what she needed. And she seemed absolutely elated at the prospect. Without hesitation, the duo clambered aboard the heirloom cloud, and at Gohan's command, the cloud immediately ascended into the air, giving the two a bird's eye view of the forest.  
  
"Kinto'un, go!" Gohan ordered, and the Somersault Cloud tore through the sky. As if on reflex, Erasa quickly wrapped her arms around Gohan's waist, to avoid falling off due to the speed as which Kinto'un was moving. Tearing straight over the forest with as much speed as was safe for Erasa's frail human body, within a few minutes, they'd approached a familiar skyline.  
  
"Gohan, is this...Satan City?" Erasa blinked in confusion. Didn't Gohan say she was going to show her something new, besides the city she'd lived in for her entire life?   
  
"You've never quite paid attention to the view you have when we take Kinto'un, have you?" Gohan asked her as the cloud quickly broke over the forest and into the city, soaring high overhead.   
  
"Yeah, I can see something pretty amazing from this point of view," Erasa commented aloud, lightly chuckling with her eyes examining his muscular frame she clung to from behind.  While she didn't want to admit it, being pressed against Gohan in the manner she was proved to be very distracting, and it kept her from truly appreciating any view she could see by travelling on Kinto'un.  
  
"Wait a second, what?" Gohan innocently asked in confusion. Something in the tone of Erasa's reply tipped him off that she was being sarcastic, but he didn't fully understand the implications.  
  
"Don't worry about it," Erasa replied, waving it off as she enjoyed his naïveté. She'd never met anyone quite like Gohan before. "But, in all seriousness, no, I actually haven't paid any real attention to the view. What does that have to do with flying over the city?"  
  
"Why don't you look down this time?" Gohan beckoned Erasa to look down towards the city as Kinto'un slowed to a snail's pace so that Erasa could get a proper view of everything.   
  
"It's...amazing!" Erasa gasped, her eyes alight with curiosity and excitement. Looking at the city from Gohan's point of view was awe-inspiring for someone who'd lived on the ground for so long. Buildings, which before had been taller than her, with some skyscrapers towering over the girl, now jutted upwards at her, like man-made trees. The roads were full of cars, and yet she could hear naught but the rushing wind; from where she flew, the normal bustling noises of traffic were gone. But what shocked her most was the colour; an assortment of silvers, reds, blues, and yellows, all on display for her to see.  
   
"The world seems so...small!" The blonde struggled to find the right words for what she was feeling. "I know this is Satan City...but from this far up, it's like I'm looking at a whole different world!"  
  
"That's it!" Gohan agreed, taken in by Erasa's utter captivation of the sight below her. "It's all a matter of how you see the world. If you change your perspective, like we're doing now, then your entire reality will change with it."  
  
"This is entirely different from the looking upward from the surface, or even looking out through the window of my jet flier!" As her excitement with her new found perspective grew, her eyes continued to sparkle like jewels. "I feel bad, in fact, for everyone down on the ground right now." She felt something like pity because everyone down on the surface wouldn't be able to experience this kind of elation. "Gohan, can we go someplace else too?!"  
  
She was almost like a child in how easily she was impressed, though perhaps Gohan only saw it this way because he'd been flying since he was five. "Of course! Hold on tight, I've got just the place!"   
  
Erasa didn't need to be told twice to 'hold on', as Kinto'un made a sharp turn for the east. The two quickly said farewell to Satan City as it faded into the horizon behind them. While Gohan could completely see everything, his Saiyan eyes not missing a detail, Erasa could only see a green and brown blur.  
  
"Gohan!" Erasa protested above the roar of the wind. "What's the point to this if I can't see anything!?"  
  
"You're not supposed to," Gohan replied casually, able to hear Erasa's silvery voice with ease despite the wind; in fact, it might have been better if she hadn't tried to talk above the currents. "What I'm going to show you is right here!" Kinto'un slowed down to a reasonable pace, and the blur of colour in Erasa's eyes exploded into shape and form as she took a sharp intake of breath at the sight.  
  
What filled her vision now was something she'd only seen in textbooks or on the news; the Broaf mountain range. "It's...beautiful!" From the height she and Gohan were flying, Erasa could see everything; the sharp jagged mountains jutting out of the Earth, various shades of brown and green clashing as dirt, stone, and foliage all met on the face of the mountains. However, she could see this mountain range was part of something more; connected to it were forests, with the amount of trees running from thick to thin, and she could even see bodies of water, such as a large lake, glistening and sparkling under the afternoon sun. Even several rivers and creaks, albeit difficult to discern, standing out as they reflected the light of the sun, were visible to her weak human eyes, flowing along the ground at the base of the mountains.  
  
"I can't believe it!" She gasped, her mouth widened into a small "o", and her eyes lit up we brightly was the waters down below. "That a sight like this can exist! Gohan, it's stunning!"   
  
"Would you like to take a closer look?" Gohan queried, pleased to see Erasa was enamored by the sight of nature in all of its glory.  
  
"Of course!" She replied eagerly. "Can't you take me down?"  
  
"If you want me to, sure!" Gohan agreed, seeing no problem at all with Erasa's proposition. "You may want to grab onto my neck then; the speed will be a bit different from what you're used to."  
  
While this confused Erasa, she simply assumed a descent on Kinto'un would require the cloud to pick up speed, and did as Gohan asked, wrapping her thin armed around Gohan's muscular neck. What came next, however, was a complete surprise.  
  
"Gohan, wh-whoa!" Before Erasa could so much as complete her question, she suddenly felt her body jerk forward with Gohan's, and felt a comforting warmth under her body. It quickly dawn on her that this warmth was Gohan's own body heat, and Gohan was flying down towards the forest with her on his back.  
  
"Hold on, Erasa!" Gohan called out as he made a quick descent, heading straight down towards the ground. If Erasa didn't know any better, she'd say Gohan was about to crash into the rock-solid ground, and, by instinct, she felt a twinge of panic.   
  
"Gohan!" She cried out cautiously, but it soon became apparent that she had nothing to fear; moments before the would-be collision, Gohan leveled himself with ease, showing ki control he'd polished ever since the age of four. Erasa heaved a sigh of relief that was nearly drowned out by Gohan's own joyous laughter.  
  
"Flying like this really is the only way to travel!" He said, blissfully oblivious to Erasa's brief episode of panic.   
  
After a moment, Erasa had to agree with Gohan; while she enjoyed flying with Kinto'un, something about Gohan's ease and control of his own flight made it a completely different experience. Of course, she had to admit, flying with absolutely no space between her and Gohan was nothing to complain about either.  
  
"Hold on tight, Erasa," Gohan urged her, picking up speed and altitude. She didn't need telling twice.  
  
Despite Gohan's immense speed, he maintained excellent control and flew straight through a forest, weaving through the dense grove of trees flawlessly; Erasa, by this point, was at total ease flying with Gohan, and now tried her best to keep up with the sights of the forest. It took her a moment to realize that, even now, she was seeing the world from Gohan's perspective. Flying effortlessly along the ground was something only someone like Gohan could enjoy, and while it bewildered her as to how he could even do it, she realized that it had to be liberating.  
  
Flying was the ultimate escape. Only now, she and Gohan were escaping to freedom together.  
  
Making a sharp turn, Gohan flew towards a flowing river, and flew directly over it, leaving a wall of water rising behind him. The sound of gurgling water was soothing to both, and Gohan and Erasa looked down at the river to see two happy teenagers looking back at up them, and couldn't help but watch the smiles spread from ear to ear. Gohan dipped his hand into the brisk, cold waters, gently splashing several droplets playfully back at Erasa, who giggled happily.   
  
For these two, right now, they were alone and free from their worries; invasive friends and psychotic mothers didn't exist here, not for them.   
  
"Hey Gohan," Erasa started, several minutes later, as Gohan ascended high into the sky again, joined by Kinto'un. "I don't want to sound like I'm prying, but, how can you do these things? Your flying? The crime fighting? Where's it...come from?"  
  
"That's actually quite a long story," Gohan replied, surprised at Erasa's sudden curiosity. "It might be easier to just give you a demonstration. Kinto'un, come here!"   
  
At Gohan's command, the Somersault Cloud pulled up at their side, and they boarded their mystical mount once again. "Take us to an island, Kinto'un!" Gohan ordered, and with a sharp U-turn, the cloud tore across the Broaf Mountain Range at high speed.   
  
Erasa was breathless; she'd never thought she'd have been able to have so much enjoyment in one day, and Gohan was simply one surprise after another. The sight that greeted her next was accompanied by the sharp smell of salt and seaweed, and the roaring sound of water crashing against the rocky shore. Filling her eyes with sparkling blue, she realized they'd reached open ocean in just a few minutes, and were flying very close to the water's surface.   
  
"Alright Kinto'un, go a little faster!" Gohan urged, and the cloud tore across the salty waters, and an island came into view. Small though it was, this island was vital in the continued existence of earth. The island in particular was home to the revered Kame-Sen'nin, more commonly Master Rōshi, the man who had trained both Son Goku and Krillin.   
  
"What's that pink house?' Erasa asked, pointing at a small, bright pink, one-bedroom house that was perched on the dead center of the island.  
  
"Oh that? That's Kame-House!" Gohan answered as Kinto'un flew right past the house, and additionally, Master Rōshi, relaxing on a folding beach chair, holding a magazine labeled "AhhHan!", with several others stacked next to him. As Kinto'un whizzed by, it jolted the master from his chair, sending his entire stack of dirty magazines flying into the air.  
  
"My magazines!" Rōshi cried out in a panic, frantically trying reclaim them.  
  
"Sorry, Master Rōshi!" Gohan called back in apology, waving at the man.   
  
In response to his quick arrival and departure, two people emerged from the Kame House. A short man with a shock of black hair, wearing an Hawaiian shirt and tan shorts. Accompanying him would be a petite, pale-skinned woman of exceptional beauty with short blonde hair, who was wearing a sleeveless jean jacket with white pants.  
  
These two individuals were Krillin, and Lazuli, more commonly referred to as Android 18, and both were wearing expressions of comical, wide-eyed shock on their face.  
  
"Was that...?" Rōshi adjusted his sunshades as he stared into the distance.  
  
"....Gohan....?" Krillin focused on the retreating form of the cloud with the two teenagers riding, blissfully unaware of their audience.   
  
"....with a girl?" Android 18's expression and voice betrayed equal shock.  
  
"Chi-Chi's going to kill him." They all agreed sagely, before resuming their daily lives.  
  
It didn't take long for the two to reach an island far more secluded than Roshi's island; a deserted island located to the east of it. Kinto'un descended close to the shore, hovering just above the ground, allowing them to slide off with ease. Standing directly on the beach, Gohan took a deep breath, feeling his ki flow through his body. "Alright, Erasa, watch carefully. This is where my abilities comes from."   
  
Erasa kept her eyes locked on Gohan, a childlike curiosity in her eyes.  
  
Gohan took a stance, cupping both hands at his sides. "Kaaaaaaa...meeeeeee...haaaaaaaa...meeeeeee..." Between his cupped hands, Gohan could feel a familiar heat, the warmth of latent ki energy focused into one single point. As his words emitted focus and disciplined control over the energy drawing up from his core to the center of his palms, the air began to simmer around him like a humid visage upon a desert. The culminating ki took colour and form, becoming a glowing white sphere emitting a bright blue glow. As rays danced between the spaces of his digits, a signifying thrum and high pitched whistling indicating its full priming.  
  
"What's this?" Erasa breathed in shock. Was Gohan holding light between his hands? Then she remembered; this had happened before, in the Cell Game videos. Gohan's father had performed this technique on Cell, and it had been one of the few moments caught in clarity on tape. Which meant Erasa knew what was coming next.  
  
"HA!!" Gohan cried, thrusting both hands forward. The energy sphere expanded and then exploded into a violent, blue-hued beam of plasma that ripped across the ocean, forcing the water on either side of it to rise, revealing the seabed below. As the energy petered out, the sea walls crashed together once more, and the tide rushed in at Gohan's feet.  
  
"What was that, Gohan?" Erasa breathed in awe. It was one thing to see that feat performed on video, and another to witness such a dazzling light show in person.  
  
"That was the Kamehameha," Gohan explained. "The technuique takes latent ki from my body, focuses it into a single point between both hands, and expels it in a beam of energy. My ability to fly," He floated a few inches off the ground for a demonstration, "also comes from 'ki'."  
  
"Ki..." Erasa placed a thin finger to her chin in thought. It wasn't something she'd ever heard of before, though the concept of 'internal energy' probably wasn't anything new. "This 'ki' energy...can anyone learn it?"  
  
"While it takes training, any person can learn to draw out their ki," Gohan assured her. "Though it's a bit more difficult for humans." In normal situations, Gohan wouldn't have been quite so blunt, but he needed to use the term 'human' to provide better context for his next statement. "For Saiyans, however, drawing out their ki is a lot easier. That's what I am; half-human, and half-Saiyan."  
  
"Saiyan?" Erasa looked perplexedly at Gohan.   
  
"An alien race from a different planet," The hybrid was very much aware of just how ridiculous this sounded, but if he could tell anyone, Erasa would be the person he could tell.  
  
Erasa flashed Gohan a look of scrutiny. "You  _look_  absolutely human," She countered, but, reflecting on what he said answered far more questions than it raised, at least when Gohan's abilities were brought into question. She also had to remember that an anthropomorphic dog was their king, so this was certainly not the most ludicrous thing to happen on Planet Earth.   
  
"I believe what you're saying." The blonde told him, smiling brightly. "This sounds like a novel or something; high-school girl's new friend turns out to be an alien from outer space!"  
  
"I can definitely see the humor in it," Gohan grinned, relieved to see Erasa was as casual as she ever was.  
  
"But Gohan, this 'ki' thing...can you teach  _me_?" The blonde implored, her eyes glinting. "Can't you?"  
  
"Wait a second!" Gohan cried in surprise. "Why are you suddenly so keen on learning?"  
  
"It's just...it's something I decided while we were in the Broad Mountain Range!" Erasa said firmly. "By learning how to use 'ki', I can relate more to your own world, Gohan." While this was half-true, internally, Erasa knew the true reason why she wanted to use 'ki' so badly. Just being able to fly was so liberating, and she wanted that kind of freedom. Freedom from her fixation on her own past. But not only that. By learning to use 'ki', she could become closer to Gohan, and the unique world he's opened up to her. A strong part of her knew that was the real reason she wanted to do this.  
  
Gohan was unsure at first, but repeated pleading from Erasa sold him on the idea entirely. "Alright, alright," He conceded weakly, having the feeling this might be the first in a long line of discussions where he'd be on the losing end. "I'll teach you how to use 'ki', but it's not going to be easy. We'll start next weekend, how does that sound?"   
  
"I can't wait to get started!" Erasa's voice brimmed with excitement. 

* * *

  
  
With his explanation out of the way, Gohan decided to show Erasa more of the countryside. With hours of enjoyment spent sightseeing, their day didn't end until the Sun began to hang low in the sky, dyeing the entire land red in a burning sunset. With their plans successfully made, the two decided it was time to call it a day. Flying back towards Mt. Paozu, Kinto'un descended into the clearing next to the gleaming figure of Erasa's hovercraft.   
  
"So, Gohan," Erasa said playfully, "we still have another day before school starts again. Same time tomorrow?"  
  
"Of course!" Gohan replied, almost too quickly, and Erasa noticed, smiling to herself. His innocence really was endearing.  
  
"Before I go, I just remembered I had something," Erasa reached into her pocket, pulling out a blue Hoi-Poi Capsule. She tossed it to Gohan, who caught it seamlessly. "Don't open that 'till you get home, but you forgot them at my house!" She was being deliberately vague, before the bubble shaped shield pulled back on the hovercraft, allowing Erasa to clamber into the cockpit. "See you tomorrow, Gohan!" She said cheerfully before the engine roared to life, and she rose into the air. Waving happily down at Gohan, who waved back at her with a broad smile on his face, the hovercraft took off towards Satan City.  
  
Gohan took off from that spot, and arrived home only a few minutes after Erasa had left. Much to his relief, his mother avoided asking any awkward questions, as it wasn't uncommon for Gohan to go off by himself on the weekends — he and his father shared a similar love of nature and fishing — so there was nothing to arouse her suspicion. With the Hoi-Poi Capsule clenched in his palm, Gohan proceeded to his room. Pressing the button on the top of the capsule lightly, Gohan gently tossed the capsule and it exploded in a puff of smoke, revealing...a polished pair of black men's shoes.  
  
Gohan stared at them in silence, wondering why Erasa would give him capsulized shoes. After several moments silence, it suddenly hit him, and his mouth twitched. "Wait a second...are those my shoes?" As the seconds ticked on, and the gears clicked on Gohan's head, he couldn't help but double over laughing, realizing that he'd only just now realized he'd dashed out of Erasa's window on their first hangout without shoes   
  


* * *

  
  
Arriving at her home within the hour, Erasa landed the hovercraft directly in front of her house. With a click, the bubble shield rose back, and Erasa make a deft leap out of the the craft, landing smoothly on the sidewalk. Pressing a bright red button on the side, the craft reverted to the form of a Hoi-Poi Capsule in an explosion of smoke. Unlocking the door to her home, Erasa walked inside, kicking off her shoes and flipping on the lights. Well aware her father was still at work, Erasa immediately ascended the stairs and went to her room, turning on the lights as she was confronted with the bright colours she was so used to. But as she collapsed on her bed, and looked at the cloud patterns on her wall, something about them seemed off to her.  
  
"What have I been doing?" She muttered to herself, eyes firmly locked on the childish paintings that adorned her walls and ceiling. "To stay locked in the past like this..." Groaning in frustration, she slapped her hand to her forehead. "How can I talk to Gohan about wanting to help him, when I can't even help myself move on?" Flashing before her eyes was the figure of a woman with neck-length blonde hair, and features that matched Erasa's own. "If I can't move forward now...I won't be able to help Gohan when he needs me there." After several more minutes of silent deliberation, Erasa slid off the bed, walking downstairs to the storage closet. Digging through it, she found several rolls of wallpaper. Smiling to herself, she remembered that her mother used to use these when the walls needed to be redone; her father, on the other hand, was never the type for chores.  
  
"Erasa?" The puzzled voice of her father, Marque, caught her attention, causing the blonde to look over her shoulder in surprise. "I was calling for you for five minutes." Straightening his tie, his brown eyes fell on the rolls of paper clutched in her arms. "What are you doing with those?"  
  
"Just a little renovating, Dad!" Erasa said, smiling as she headed back towards her room, determined to follow through on her resolve before she reconsidered everything.  
  
The look of surprised on Marque's face quickly melted into a kind smile, his thick moustache twitching with the action. " _Quile...you've be so proud of our daughter. It's been a long time, but she's finally moving on_."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> First off, lemme apologize for the delay everyone! It's been over a week since my last chapter, and I'm sorry for that. In response to one of the reviews I received, I will try to post these as frequently as possible — I do love what I do — but I also have other things to do during the week, such as a job, and then there's things I do just to amuse myself, such as games. Anyone who paid attention to Erasa's casual attire can tell I based it off May's new look from Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire, and that's all you need to know to get I am an avid Pokémon fan. So, while I will try to get these up as often as I can, if they're a bit later than they usually are, I got caught up in some other activity, and for that, I apologize in advance.
> 
> To anyone not in the know, Lazuli is Android 18's real name, as confirmed in an interview with Toriyama. Android 17's is Lapis.
> 
> I actually had a lot of fun writing this chapter, even though it took me over a week; I worked really hard to make Erasa and Gohan's free time as cute and adorable as possible, and I hope it was well received. In the next chapter, training begins, look forward to it. Additionally, the scene with Gohan's shoes was inspired by a Guest commenter; I wish they'd had a username so I could give them a shout-out properly, but thank you! I'm also glad to see that some people got the puns I used for the console names, though they were a bit easy. So here's my question this time; anyone get the puns in the names "Marque" and "Quile", Erasa's parents? What about the teacher that appeared previously even though he didn't appear in this chapter? On a final note, let's give a thanks to my friend Mangetsu20, who once again looked over the finished product to make sure it was passable, and MrB1ank, who photoshopped the image I used for thsi chapter! Anyway, stay tuned, everyone, for the next chapter!


	5. Battle of Heart and Soul

**Satan City, District 666, Satan House; Living Room**  
  
" _Earlier today, the Golden Warrior saved Satan City from terror once again._ " Videl was sitting on the sofa in her father's ludicrously large home, legs huddled up to her chest as she kept her eyes glued to the face of the female reporter on the television set. _"Heroically apprehending four armed criminals who were attempting to use children the Satan Day-Care for hostages, the —"_  
  
Raising the remote towards the television set, Videl jammed on the power button and furiously threw the remote at the screen, jumping up from the couch in a huff.   
  
As if on cue, one of the many butlers that served the Satan household appeared around the corner. "Ms. Videl, I heard a disturbance. Do you require assistance?"  
  
"Nothing you can help me with, Jū!" Videl replied snappishly, leaving the trained butler unperturbed as she stormed her way up the stairs to her bedroom.  
  
"I do wish she would show some restraint," The man called Jū sighed empathetically. His eyes swiveled to the television set, and saw the remote firmly embedded into the widescreen. "This is the third television set this week." Straightening his glasses along the bridge of his nose, he removed the remove from its perch, before concluding he should inform Mr. Satan that he would have to purchase yet another television.  
  
Oblivious to having destroyed the television set, Videl yanked open the door to her room, before slamming the door shut behind her. Briskly walking across the smooth tile floor, the ebony-haired girl elbowed the punching bag that dangled from her ceiling out of the way, collapsing heavily onto the black and red hued sheets and quilts that adorned her fluffy bed. Her eyes fell on a big poster placed on the far-wall of her room; a life-size picture of her father, Mr. Satan, wearing his Championship belt and flashing his trademark smile for the camera. How long had it been since she'd first gotten that poster? Several years now? She'd been so proud of her dad then.  
  
Remembering her father's various accomplishments, however, didn't give her a sense of pride today. Instead, they brought the fires of anger; not at her father, but at the city's new 'hero', the Golden Warrior.   
  
" _He shows up in our city, completely out-of-left-field, and prances around like he owns the place!_ " She thought furiously, grabbing one of her crimson pillows and squeezing it tightly in a fit of frustration. " _Who does he think he is?! Acting like a superhero straight out of an overplayed comic book!_ " Raving to herself, the girl threw the pillow she was clutching across the room, hearing its muffled impact with her Fony Gamestation 4.  
  
" _And then there's Erasa, defending the Golden Warrior as if he's not doing anything wrong! We're best friends, aren't we supposed to be on the same side here?!_ " The thought of her best friend defending the girl's newfound nemesis truly got Videl riled up, and she tossed and turned on her bed in irritation. " _It has to be that Gohan's fault — she's already spending too much time with him. He's got to be distracting her, twisting her perception!_ " Hissing madly, Videl firmly decided Gohan was the one at fault for all of this.   
  
"Who does he think he is?" She started to rant aloud by this point, apparently having lost the ability of internal dialogue. "Using that tall gait of his to get her to look up to him. Puff out that muscle bound chest of his behind that uniform and...flex his biceps when in gym..." Videl's face began to heat up as she continued to pick apart everything she saw in Gohan, "...and staring at her with those big dark eyes with that smile and stupid hair." Her face flushing redder than a ripe beet, Videl hid her face into her spare pillow, crying out a muffled, "Wait-a-minute, what the hell am I saying?!"  
  
Removing her face from the pillow, Videl took a slow, deep breath, trying to calm herself. " _Don't focus on him, don't focus on him, don't focus on him!_ " She told herself firmly, smacking her face. "Maybe if I sleep, I can calm myself down." Without even removing her day clothes, the girl collapsed back onto her bed, firmly keeping her mind locked on the time she'd spend with Erasa the next day; a free Saturday morning with her best friend.  
  


* * *

  
 **Satan City, District 666, Satan Training Hall**  
  
"Thanks for agreeing to come out and spar with me," Videl smiled warmly at Erasa as the two took a seat on a bench, the former wiping sweat from her brow. Finally managing to fit herself into Erasa's schedule, Videl had to admit, she couldn't be happier. Having asked a few days prior, Videl managed to get Erasa to meet up with her and function as her training partner in a sparring match. Fitting the situation and the location — the Satan Training Hall — the two girls were currently wearing white training  _gi,_ though the attire seemed far more fitting for Videl than Erasa.  
  
"Of course!" Erasa replied, smiling brightly. She'd only been too eager to meet up with Videl, especially given the early hour; she still had time on her hands before she was to go meet up with Gohan. "I've actually been slacking off in my gym, so this little workout might help be catch up."   
  
Admittedly, Erasa didn't have the experience in martial arts that Videl did. Both girls had entered training when they were younger, but while Videl pursued the art with fire in her eyes, Erasa had decided it might not have been for her, and went to try out with various sports and teams instead.  
  
Videl's bright blue eyes blinked rapidly in confusion. Erasa, slacking off in her physical activities? They'd both been devoted to remaining committed to their training since they were young children, and neither she nor Erasa had been deterred. Of course, there had been that time when they were seven, when Erasa tried out for the swim team, and there had been that incident with the swim noodle. Videl shuddered, trying to shake that memory off. "Slacking off, Erasa? It's surprising to hear that coming from someone who attends club meetings in between her classes and even during Sundays."  
  
"Well, what can I say?" Erasa scratched her cheek nervously, flushing pink in the cheeks. "I've been rather busy, as of late..."  
  
"You mean with that boy?" Sharp as a whip, Videl countered the girl's statement with a waspish hiss. Unfortunately for Erasa, she'd just pressed the 'Gohan' button, and she shouldn't have done that.  
  
"Hm?" Erasa blinked, unaware of the fact that she'd just touched Videl's trigger. "That boy? Do you mean Gohan?"  
  
Videl let out an exasperated sigh. "Who  _else_  do you spend all the time chatting and staring at with doe-eyes? OF COURSE I MEAN GOHAN!!"  
  
Erasa should have expected this. Videl had been harping on Gohan's case ever since the boy had first enrolled in their school, and it was on of the reasons she'd been hesitant to pay her best friend a visit. Briefly contemplating not dignifying Videl's statement with a response, she sighed, "We're just good friends, Videl. We had a great time those years ago and rekindling a friendship like this seems natural." Her eyes narrowed, and a sly smile crossed her face. "Why? You're not jealous are you?"  
  
Videl's face flushed a deep red, flabbergasted at Erasa's bold accusation. "N-no! Why would I be jealous!?" She spluttered, her denial of the obvious plain on her face. " I'm not jealous, I'm concerned! You don't know for sure that Mr. "Not-Blonde" isn't really the Golden Warrior!" The ebony-haired girl, still flustered, spoke now with the air of a person trying to get a conversation back into territory she was comfortable with. "I don't want you getting into trouble, in case he's finally exposed!"  
  
Erasa shook her head in exasperation, ignoring the irony of Videl's statement as there were  _several_  things about Gohan the blonde knew that Videl did not. "And here you go with the Golden Warrior again! Haven't we already told you Gohan's not the Golden Warrior?" Videl winced at how easily Erasa used 'we' when referring to herself and Gohan, as if they were a packaged deal. "Why do you still believe that? What do you have against the Golden Warrior anyways?"  
  
Videl's sapphire eyes narrowed sharply at her best friend. "Erasa, you don't get it! I'm Videl, the daughter of the World Champion, Mr. Satan! I'm expected to be great, just like him! But when people look at me, they're not seeing me and you know that — just 'the daughter of the great Mr. Satan'." She spat the last seven words as if they were poison. "If I let some cocky vigilante steal the spotlight, not only will I forever be stuck in my father's shadow, but I might not even be able to save the stragglers that the Golden Warrior overlooks, or is just plain careless with!"  
  
"From what I hear, he's very considerate to bystanders." Erasa was quick to defend Gohan from Videl's accusations, though she felt arguing against the girl by this point was useless. "He doesn't even hurt crooks that much."  
  
"Rumors are rumors!" Videl replied acidly. "Just you wait — when he and I meet again, face to face, I'll show him who the  _real_  hero of Satan City is!"  
  


* * *

  
 **East District 439, Base of Mount Paozu, Son Residence**  
  
Excitement. This was the feeling coursing through the body of one Son Gohan as he reclined on the round roof of his mountain home. Ever since last week, it seemed like the times he and Erasa were together were becoming something akin to a bright light in his life; warm and bright, like the sun. When she was around, his thoughts drifted less to the bitter memories he had of his father's death — the guilt, and the pain, seemed to vanish when she was near.   
  
Leaning back in the light of the near-morning sun, Gohan heard the sound of a door opening and closing, and looked down off the side of the roof to see his mother walking out with a large basket of laundry. Briefly cursing himself mentally for not choosing a better perch, Gohan quickly tried to duck out of sight, but the trained eyes of his mother caught the movement in her peripheral vision.  
  
"Good morning, son!" She called up loudly, causing Gohan to wince nervously. "So glad to see you still remember your mother's here!"  
  
"Good morning, Mom!" Gohan called back, waving frantically. He knew that tone better than anyone — except perhaps his father. Chi-Chi wasn't happy Gohan had snuck onto the roof without even saying good morning beforehand.  
  
"Since you're so eager to be out here, why don't you give your mother a hand with your own laundry?" She asked pointedly, making it clear it wasn't a question so much as a demand in disguise. "Goten and I are heading out to West City, so I'd like to get this done quickly!"   
  
"S-sure!" Gohan replied hastily, leaping smoothly from the roof and landing deftly onto the grass, before straightening himself up and walking over to his mother, who tossed him the laundry basket while she erected the clothes line, smiling to herself.  
  
"It's so nice to have you out here helping me, Gohan," She said sweetly, taking the Saiyan youth by surprise. Her furious visage from the past week was ingrained into his psyche; it was actually shocking to remember that his mother could smile sweetly.  
  
"Don't mention it, Mom," Gohan replied, a feeling of relief washing over him. If he was lucky, he might be able to finish the laundry quickly, and have his mother head to West City with Goten in a very good mood, thus freeing up Gohan's entire day.   
  
"So, how's your first week at school been going, Gohan?" Chi-Chi asked as she took the basket from her son and the two began to unfold the wet clothes to hang on the line. With expert hands and nimble fingers, she unfolded the sopping cloth and strung it on the line even faster than Gohan, possibly due to years of housework. "You never spend any time talking to your mother anymore; you cut your arrival time close to the line when you get home, you vanish into your room after dinner before I can so much as ask you a question, and even now, on the weekends, it's like you're deliberately tiring out Goten and then vanishing off into the forest."  
  
"It's just been a really busy week," Gohan replied airily, waving off Chi-Chi's accusations. By focusing on unfolding the clothing, he could avoid eye contact, and therefore, his mother couldn't pick up on him avoiding her statements. "I think I'm doing alright at fitting in, and the classes are easier than I expected."  
  
"Don't became lax in your studies just because the classes aren't difficult, Gohan," Chi-Chi chastised sharply, though she smiled again. "I'm glad to hear all of the studying you did as a boy paid off, even if it did have...periodic interruptions." Despite the casual tone of the conversation, Gohan could hear the ice in his mother's tone; she'd never been fond of the times when his father had taken him along to save the world, even prioritizing his studies over the fate of the planet, despite the logical fallacy.   
  
Gohan knew very well his mother expected him to graduate with the highest of honours, and he had to say it wouldn't be impossible. He briefly remembered that, even as a seven year old, his mother had him study theoretical physics, among several other things that most parents would find too advanced for their child. "Don't worry Mom, you know me, diligent as always. I've even turned down several — repeated no less — invitations to the boxing club."  
  
"That's my boy," The woman laughed, a cheerful smile sparking up to her eyes, evidently proud of Gohan for finally putting his studies over fighting. "You're going to make a great scholar son, just you wait! I'll be so proud of you!"  
  
Gohan sighed to himself, returning to handing clothes on the line. While he'd never tell his mother, he wasn't fond of the studying she'd made him do as a child. While he'd come to appreciate it, as it came with its benefits, he still felt there was more to his childhood that he'd missed out on, that she'd taken away, just to turn him into something she wanted. Not wanting to spoil his mother's cheerful mood, however, Gohan only nodded, smiling, as they continued to hang the clothes in silence for several more minutes. The sound of an engine, faint in the distance, caught Gohan's ear, and realization quickly dawned on him that Erasa was already on her way.  
  
Gohan knew he had to think up an excuse to get away from Chi-Chi; the question being 'how'?  
  
While unfolding clothing, Chi-Chi's nose, though significantly weaker than Gohan's, picked up a strange scent from his clothing. Having lived around her family their entire lives, she unconsciously recognized their scents by this point. However, the dim smell wafting into her nose was a new one; it smelled sweet, like fruit shampoo. Narrowing her eyes, she glanced at her son, who was busying himself with another garment, before she hung the shirt up on the line, her back to him.  
  
Finally, Gohan came up with what he prayed sounded plausible. "I think I hear Goten calling! He may need something!" Running his mouth quickly, Gohan immediately leaped into the air, quickly trying to make a break for it.  "See you later mom!"   
  
"Wait, Gohan, where are you-!?" Chi-Chi turned quickly to see Gohan ascending into the sky, about to head off towards a clearing she knew was in the distance. However, in the sky, something caught the woman's eye; a hovercraft. A hovercraft...Gohan trying to fly off, in the same direction and the feminine scent that lingered on his clothing. Chi-Chi's brain was working like gears, and quite quickly, everything clicked in the sharp mother's head.  
  
He was meeting up with that girl.  
  
"Not so fast, young man!" Chi-Chi shouted, causing Gohan to stop dead in his tracks, cursing his luck. "Don't look me in the face and lie to me! What, do you think I was born yesterday!?"  
  
"W-what do you mean, Mom?" Gohan replied nervously, immediately regretting every decision he'd made since this morning.   
  
"Don't play dumb with me, Gohan! And you get down here on ground level when I'm talking to you!" The furious mother snarled, glaring upwards at her eldest son, who descended to the ground with a look of trepidation on his face. "Do you take me for a fool, like your father?! How do you think I feel, with my own son sneaking around and lying behind my back!?"  
  
"T-that's not it at all!" Gohan protested, though he couldn't deny he had been sneaking around to see Erasa, and  _had_  given his mother a complete and utter lie, but it was only because she made it necessary, couldn't she see that? "Why can't you get it? I can't just be a... _loner_ all the time. It's not a bad thing for me to make friends at school; if I don't try and socialize, what's the point in being around people my own age?"  
  
"Friends are fine, but I don't want you spending so much time with that girl!" Chi-Chi roared over Gohan's protests. "I've told you time and time again; I don't want anything getting in the way of your studies, and this includes tramps like this girl!" Her chest and shoulders were heaving, a sign that she was breathing heavily.  
  
Gohan gritted his teeth, his fists clenching slightly. "But mother—!"  
  
"Don't you 'but mother' me!" The furious woman argued back, quite beside herself by this point. "But it's nice to see you finally get it, I  _am_  your mother, and as your mother, you will do as I—!"  
  
"MOM, SHUT UP!" Gohan demanded, stunning Chi-Chi into silence with his sudden, furious outcry. "Everything you're saying, just, stop! Do you hear yourself? Anything you've said, in the past seven years,  _have you heard anything that's come out of your mouth?_ "  
  
Absolutely dumbfounded by her son rounding on her in truly justified fury, Chi-Chi could only remain quiet as Gohan continued to speak.  
  
"How do you expect me to get any kind of real world experience like this if you keep being so overbearing and overprotective!?" The Saiyan-hybrid ranted on, his furious gaze locked on his stupefied mother. "I never ask for much, you know that better than anyone! I've always done what you've asked, and yet you're still this insistent on keeping me under your thumb!? Don't you think it's time to let go? Don't you think I can handle myself!?" Breathing as heavily as Chi-Chi had been moment's before, he carried on. "And to make it worse, you're torturing yourself with the delusion that Dad is coming back. He's  _gone_ , Mom! I saw it happen!  _I made it happen!_ "   
  
Years of pent up anger and frustration were pouring out of Gohan like a dam that had finally burst; Chi-Chi, unfortunately, was the village drowning in the impending flood of emotion. _"_ He's never coming back; how do you think it makes not only me feel, to hear you blindly hold onto this, but Goten as well! He's never met our father, and you're making a little boy think a dead man is coming back!"  
  
"I-I..." Chi-Chi choked on a reply, tears welling up in her eyes.   
  
"You need to let go, Mom." Gohan replied sharply, glaring before he turned his back on her, erupting in a pillar of energy and taking flight, leaving a small crater in the ground due to forgetting to restrain his own power. Refusing to look back, he left his mother, who fell to her knees in defeated silence.  
  


* * *

   
  
Approaching the clearing surprisingly quickly, Gohan saw Erasa standing outside her hovercraft, looking up at the sky, waiting for him. The moment she saw his form in the sky, her face broke out into a wide smile, and she began to wave frantically. At the sight of her smiling face, Gohan decided firmly to himself that arguing with his mother over Erasa was worth it, and descended to the ground.  
  
"Did I keep you waiting?" Gohan inquired, landing neatly on the ground as Erasa bounded over to him.  
  
"No, not at all." She said smoothly; to be fair, Gohan had kept her waiting, if only for a few minutes, but she was far too polite to tell me this. "It took me awhile to land the hovercraft." Her sapphire orbs narrowed, trained Gohan's face, and immediately, she caught a hint of something amiss. "Gohan? Is something the matter?"  
  
"It's..." Gohan sighed, remembering that he couldn't lie to Erasa. "My mother and I...we, ah...we said some things to each other. Loudly. I'd rather not dwell on it at the moment, to be honest."  
  
"That's fine," Erasa replied, knowing it was best not to pry. If Gohan wanted to tell her at some point, he would, but she wouldn't make him say anything if he didn't want to. They stood together in an awkward silence, Erasa slipping her hand into Gohan's, an effort to give him some emotional support that he truly appreciated.  
  
"Alright, let's begin your training." Gohan said firmly after a moment's additional silence. He couldn't dwell on this forever, and Erasa had come to learn. "Are you sure you still want to learn how to use  _ki_?"   
  
"What's that? Are you trying to weasel on out of teaching me, Gohan?" Erasa accused playfully, gently jabbing a finger into Gohan's chest.   
  
"N-No, that's not it!" Gohan defended himself hastily, the tension broken as the two returned to their casual selves. "It's just, this might be difficult for you, that's all! Learning how to use  _ki_  is far easier when you begin as a child. The older you get, the more difficult it becomes to start from the ground up."  
  
"We won't know until we try, will we?" Erasa replied, undaunted by Gohan's cautionary warning.  
  
"That's always true. Let's begin." Gohan took a seat on the ground, in the same spot, and Erasa followed, sitting cross-legged. "Our goal is to get you to learn to use  _ki._  When one learns to use  _ki_ , their body is activated in various ways; strength, endurance, speed, all of these are enhanced, and can make additional training easier." Gohan let out a weak laugh. "I know I sound sure of myself, but, to be honest, I've never taught anyone before."  
  
"Don't feel unsure," Erasa replied soothingly. "I'm not going anywhere, Gohan, so take your time."  
  
"Watch me," Gohan said, cupping his hands out in front of his body. "I'll try and take this as slow as I can, so you can follow it easier."   
  
Remaining silent, Erasa watched, her eyes alight with curiosity.   
  
"Tapping into  _ki_ , you must clear your mind and only focus on the inside. Feel that warmth build up in the center of your body and focus on that. Siphon all of your will and concentration on that ball of heat inside of you. Then, you start to pull it out, like a ladle," A dim, blue light began to shimmer between the space of Gohan's open palms. It coalesced as it gained mass, shape, and rotation, as if forming a structure akin to a miniature star using Will alone. "draw it out, little by little, and you form  _ki_."  
  
Erasa was at a loss for words; it wasn't that she hadn't seen  _ki_  before, far from it. She was simply entranced by Gohan's level of control. Ever since last week, when she thought of the energy Gohan manipulated, all she could think of was the destructive display he'd shown off back on Nanab Island. "It's so...pretty..." She murmured, crawling forward on her hands and knees to get a closer look at the spiraling sphere. An expression of innocent curiosity adorned her face now, utterly fascinated with the display.   
  
"Alright, now, you try it!" The light flickered out in Gohan's hands, snapping Erasa back into reality. "Remember, remain absolutely calm."  
  
"Roger that!" Erasa resumed her sitting position, and, like Gohan had prior, cupped her hands out in front of body. Trying to recall the demonstration Gohan had shown not moment's before, she tried to become calm. She found the easiest way to do this was to steady her breathing; breathing slowly in through the nose and out through her mouth, a basic breathing exercise.  
  
Gohan's eyes caught onto this immediately, and a smile crossed his face. " _She picks up on things quickly,_ " The hybrid thought to himself, impressed. " _Controlling ki does start with proper breath control, which is essential in any martial art. I think she might have a talent for this._ "  
  
Having achieved what she felt was an even breathing pace, Erasa kept still on the grass. Closing her eyes, she focused only on herself at this point, trying to remove everything mentally from existence. With this, it became easier for her to listen for what Gohan had said — the center of her body. To her surprise, she found it; a warmth deep within her body that beckoned the young girl that moment it realized she was consciously aware of it.   
  
" _She's already reached her inner well of ki!_ " Gohan was amazed at this progress in only ten minutes of practice. Could she actually make such quick progress?   
  
As if instinct took over her body, Erasa mentally responded to this warmth. Determined, she began to respond by 'pulling' back on the inner tug, aiming draw this warmth to the surface. Astonishingly, she could start to feel the warmth spread from the center of her body towards her palms. " _Am I really about to do it?_ " She thought excitedly.  
  
It was here that her control lapsed. The warmth retreated back to the center swiftly, causing Erasa to gasp in shock as she felt strength leave her body, nearly collapsing to the ground from the exertion.  
  
"Erasa!" Gohan rushed over to her, bending down next to the girl's fallen frame. "Are you alright?!"  
  
Breathing heavily, Erasa looked upward at Gohan, smiling weakly. "I was so close, Gohan. I could feel it, but then I got excited..."  
  
"The emotional anchor will go away in time, don't worry," Gohan assured her, smiling. "For someone whose never drawn on  _ki_  before, you've already made astounding progress! Come on, let's go take a break. I can grab us something to eat!"  
  


* * *

  
  
"Woo hoo!" The ectastic cries of the Saiyan hybrid soon filled the air as he quickly tore off his shirt, throwing it to the ground and making a leap into a glistening, flowing river. Surfacing, he waved frantically over at Erasa. "Watch me, alright? I'll catch us a big one!"  
  
"Go, Gohan!" Erasa cheered, laughing. The sight of Gohan active with such vigor seemed to restore her own stamina as well, and his good mood was infectious. She relaxed at the riverside, letting her body recover as she watched the still waters. Gohan had vanished underneath their surface, and she was left to her own thoughts in this time.  
  
" _He's so happy,_ " Gohan's cheerful expression, that wide, innocent smile was locked in her mind's eye. " _How can he be like that, after fighting with his mother? Does he repress it all? Or is there more to it?_ " She remembered briefly how Gohan would avoid much talk of his mother over the course of the last two weeks. And when she was mentioned, they weren't necessarily positive things. " _His mother...she actually seems violent. What if she doesn't like me? What if she thinks I'm not good enough for Gohan?_ " The blonde girl's mind worked overtime, churning out several situations in which Chi-Chi would reject her — violently at that, with one involving a German Suplex — and she shuddered.   
  
Water sploshed onto the lakeside, sweeping up to Erasa's feet as Gohan emerged from under the water's surface, carrying a squirming fish nearly half his size against his glistening wet form. Laughing, Gohan held the fish into the air, triumphant. To anyone who had known his father, it would been remarkable just how similar to Goku Gohan was in this moment.   
  
" _I think Gohan is the only person I know who fishes like that,_ " Erasa thought with a giggle, only stifled after what she saw besides the fish. In her eyes, Gohan's herculean body shined with the refraction of water still rolling off his skin. Even with a happy-go-lucky grin on his face and an innocent wave, it looked almost like the spitting image of a god from myth was smiling in her direction. With these thoughts in mind, Erasa's innocent mental quip turned to one of a dazed fantasy, causing her cheeks to flush hotly. "Oh gosh, Gohan, please put clothes on before you make me pass out...!"  
  
Gohan's smile changed to one of confusion as he threw the fish onto the riverbank, before leaping out of the water himself. "Why would you pass out?" He inquired, taking note of her red flushed face. Still sopping wet, Gohan bent down, moving in close to Erasa and pressing his forehead to hers. "You look a bit dizzy; do you have a fever?"  
  
That was the point Erasa lost control of herself; having Gohan in such close proximity, his glistening, chiseled features became even more apparent. Her face flushed even darker, and she swore she could pick up his scent, before darkness fell and she blacked out on the spot.  
  


* * *

  
  
The smell of cooking meat wafted towards Erasa's nose, and her body responded, eyes flickering as they snapped open. The sun shined down into the sapphire orbs, causing her to squint to dim the light. Sitting up, the crackling of a fire could be heard and she saw Gohan, mercifully clothed, sitting in front of a fire. The fish he'd caught was nowhere to be seen; instead, there were multiple slices of it propped up over the fire, and it would appear they'd been cooking for several minutes.  
  
"Hey, you're awake!" Gohan waved cheerfully, a wide grin on his face. "You didn't have a fever, but you fainted for some reason."  
  
"How long was I out for?" Erasa asked groggily, rubbing her head.   
  
"Only fifteen minutes," Gohan replied casually. "I took the liberty of starting  the fire, gutting and preparing the fish. Judging from the smell, it should be ready pretty soon. After we eat, we'll start your training again."  
  
At that, Erasa felt excitement run through her body. They were going to try again. She  _had_  to get it right this time, she absolutely had to. "I won't mess up this time, Gohan. I know I can do it!"  
  
"You'll do just fine." Gohan agreed, turning towards Erasa. Cupping his hands, he formed another small sphere of energy within his palm, yellow this time, spiraling and glowing bright, like the sun. "Here, give me your hands."  
  
Confused, Erasa extended her hands to Gohan, who took them gently in his free hand. Gently, he placed the sphere of energy within Erasa's palms, where it floated, luminous and self-sustaining. Erasa's confusion changed to a look of excitement as she realised she was holding a sphere of  _ki_.  
  
"I figure it might be easier on you if you get a feeling for what you're striving for," Gohan carried on, smiling as she saw her face light up in a way that had nothing to do with the yellow sphere. "Remember this feeling; it will help you when you try it for yourself."  
  
Gazing, entranced, at the radiant sphere that hovered within her palms, Erasa could only say that she felt uplifted. The feeling of holding ki within her palms was intoxicating. She tore her eyes away from the sight, flashing a determined smile towards Gohan. "Let's eat, Gohan. I'm ready to try again!"  
  


* * *

  
  
A few hours had elapsed since the two had eaten lunch and resumed their training. With Gohan standing above her like an ever watchful guardian, the blonde teenager sat, cross-legged on the cool grass. The entire forest was immersed in silence; only the wind blew, cool and crisp, and even the sounds of nature seemed to silence themselves in preparation for this moment. As Gohan instructed, she calmed herself, once again resorting to the breathing exercises she knew so well.    
  
Achieving a state of peace with remarkable ease, Erasa felt it once again; a warmth deep within her body that beckoned the young girl that moment it realized she was consciously aware of it. Responding to this warmth, Erasa mentally pulled on it herself, drawing the warmth from the center of her body to her palms. The sensation of Gohan's own  _ki_  resonated firmly in her mind, the feeling of euphoria that she felt was firmly in her memory, and, with a flash, a lustrous white sphere took form in her palms.   
  
"Gohan!" Erasa gasped, the spiraling sphere afloat between her palms seeming to respond to her own excitement as it glowed ever brighter. "Look! I did it!" A similar feeling that had welled up inside her body before, when Gohan had given her the sphere of  _ki_  to hold, was now returning, tenfold.   
  
"That's amazing, Erasa!" Gohan declared, stunned with her progress. "This has to be because of your athleticism. While it may not be martial arts, your body is still trained physically from all the physical activities you've done all your life!" During the past two weeks, Erasa had explained to Gohan that she was a member of several various teams and clubs over the course of the school year, all of them related to sports or physical fitness in some way. "That must have made it easier for you to draw out your _ki_  like this!"  
  
"Do you think I can learn to fly like this?" She breathed, undeniably excited.   
  
"Hold your horses!" Gohan laughed, taken in by her enthusiasm. "Drawing out your  _ki_  consciously is just the first step! Now you have to learn how to control it, and that's what we're going to work on tomorrow."  
  


* * *

  
  
Chi-Chi sighed as she slipped into her steaming hot bath. Ever since her, for lack of a better term, fight, she had been solemnly contemplating what led this on for the past hours of the day. After pacing and staring at walls in uncharacteristic silence, she decided a bath would do her some good. After all, she didn't have her father build her the bathroom extension in her home for nothing!  
  
By the time her luscious thighs slipped beneath the steaming, azure surface, she shuddered and let out a relieved sigh. Goosebumps trailed up her dry arms she propped onto the bath's tops. With her voluptuous breasts partially submerged, they floated buoyantly within the steaming moisture. Letting her hair down, Chi-Chi let out a small smile of brief enjoyment as she settled in the bath. Her entire bare outline rippling under the water and lapping against her shining sleek skin that would be the envy of many women her age and a generation younger.   
  
But after settling for a few more moments, Chi-Chi's smile quickly faded, before finally settling into an inversion that reflected her inner turmoil. Her eyes stared at the water's refracting exterior, allowing her mind to wander over the last seven years she's spent with her family. She always remembered seeing Gohan look so happy, even after the death of the father he cherished so much. But looking back harder, she would always see the hesitance in his actions whenever she brought up her deceased husband and how he would have handled the situation he was within. She thought, at times, Goku was a terrible role model but his pleasant demeanor had always had her wondering about her personal judgement.  
  
Then when she gave birth to Goten, she experienced the most joy she had in ages. The uncanny resemblance to his father was there in their son and she wanted, honestly, to find a way to keep his image around. She groomed the small clumps of hair her baby boy had as he grew up to resemble it exactly as her father, so subtly that not even Gohan questioned it all these years. Remembering this caused her eyes to well up with tears, causing them to flow down her cheeks and drip onto her floating, smooth bosom.  
  
"Goku...are you really not coming back? Have I really been holding onto something that's not here anymore?" Chi-Chi thought as her lips quivered, shortly before giving way to a series of sobs. The water dispersed in motion as Chi-Chi bent forward in the bath, covering her face with both hands as she cried into her palms, overcome with grief and sorrow.  
  
"I miss you...I miss you so much, Goku!" She wept bitterly into her hands as her voluptuous frame shook with every cry and shaky breath she let out.

* * *

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> AND CHAPTER FIVE IS FINALLY DONE! First off, let me apologize to everyone, even though I know that will sound repetitive. This entire time since the latest chapter, I got caught up with my friends, work, and even some images that I'm doing on the side (that, as of this point, I have still not finished, note to self). I'm just grateful how patient you guys are, and I really hope this chapter isn't below your expectations! 
> 
> As usual, I have a pun or two to cover. This time around, it's Jū, Videl's ever faithful (and mistreated, poor man) butler. His name, like every other name here, is a pun on something. In his case, it's a pun on the Japanese word kajū (家従) or, quite literally, "butler". Yeah, really digging deep, ain't I? I couldn't come up with a butler pun otherwise that didn't sound like a child's attempt at humor, but if anyone has any, send 'em my way. Videl does have loads of servants. 
> 
> I think that's all I have to say regarding this chapter, this time around. As usual, I have to thank my friend Mangetsu20, he's always a big help writing these chapters, when it comes to looking over it when I've finished, and brainstorming to help me think of which direction to take what. 
> 
> I'll see you guys in the next exciting installment of the Erased Chronicles!


	6. Rise Up

**Satan City, District 666, Erasa's Home; Erasa's Room, The Night Following Training**  
  
"Remain calm..." Erasa's soft voice could be heard through the imperceptible darkness that shrouded her entire room. With her eyes closed, the lack of light meant little anyway, it was merely for dramatic effect. Evening her breath, as if on instinct by this point, the now familiar "pull" of her own inner well of  _ki_  called to her.   
  
" _Tapping into_   _ki, you must clear your mind and only focus on the inside. Feel that warmth build up in the center of your body and focus on that._ "  
  
Gohan's words, clear as crystal, resonated in the blonde girl's head as she felt the warmth from the center of her body flood outward and into the palm of her hands. It erupted once more into the familiar, spiraling sphere she was used to, but it shone much brighter than before, nearly illuminating her entire room in a soft white glow.  
  
" _I can really do it, Gohan_ ," Erasa thought to herself with pride. With this, she was taking another step closer to him.  
  


* * *

  
 **East District 439, Base of Mount Paozu, Son Residence  
  
** An uncomfortable silence sat over the Son family as Chi-Chi's two sons sat down at the table for breakfast. Gohan and Chi-Chi were avoiding making eye contact with the other, and she spoke only to her youngest son as she asked for help setting the table. It was quite clear the argument from the previous day was weighing heavily on both their minds; only poor Goten had no idea what was creating the unbearable atmosphere.   
  
The family ate in silence, a tense muteness that pervaded the entire room. The sound of the clock ticking could be heard, chopsticks clicking against bowls as the family ate their food. Goten and Gohan, whose ears were more developed as Saiyans, were used to these noises, and did their best to ignore them, despite their magnified volume. It was Chi-Chi who began to look obviously uncomfortable, noises she was unused to adding to the pressure.  
  
The instant dinner was finished, Gohan knew he had to break the silence. If he didn't say something soon, he was quite sure his voice was crack from being underused.   
  
"Mom, I need to tell you something," Gohan's voice rang out through the hush, and just as he suspected, sounded quite hoarse.   
  
Chi-Chi looked up from the sink, a worried expression crossing her face as she nearly dropped one of the wooden rice bowls into the sink. "Goten, honey, why don't you play outside?" She said sweetly to her youngest child  
  
"But I want—!" The boy began to make a protest, not eager to be cut out of the conversation when it had finally just started.  
  
"Go on, Goten," It was Gohan who urged his little brother away from the table and out towards the door. "Why don't you go play with Chobi?"  
  
"Alright!" The miniature Saiyan's eyes lit up excitedly at the prospect of going to find the baby pterodactyl. Without any need for further persuasion, the boy tore out of the house, leaving his brother alone with their mother, the silence falling once more.  
  
"About what I was saying," Cutting through the muteness as quickly as he could, Gohan wanted to say what was on his mind before he lost his nerve. "I had all last night to think about it, and I feel I owe you an apology for what I said yesterday."   
  
Chi-Chi blinked in confusion; was her son apologizing to her? After everything he'd said the previous day?   
  
"I'm not going to lie to you and say it was entirely uncalled for. Seven years I've had to live with my shame of knowing that I've caused my father to die in a way that didn't befit him at all. Every time I've closed my eyes I see his proud smile vanish before my outstretched hand, telling me goodbye. Having his name so casually brought up has reopened that wound and callously sealed back up, making it sore for years that I've lately been finding it hard to stand hearing you speak." Having had the entire previous night to mull over his argument with his mother, Gohan had decided that while what he said had their points, really shouldn't have approached it the way he did. "But after all these years, even when I had finally vented out my feelings, I had no satisfaction. I had no right to speak to you in that way. You had been having trouble coping, just as I have, and you had no idea how to handle it. I'm sorry for not being more understanding to you or realizing how much hurt you've been feeling as well. I'm sorry, Mom."  
  
Chi-Chi couldn't help but feel shocked. Gohan, after everything he had said to her the day before, was now apologizing to her. "Oh, Gohan," The woman's voice was soft, motherly even; a tone Gohan hadn't heard from Chi-Chi in a great many years — not since Goten was born, in fact. "It means a lot to hear you say that, but you're right, what you said wasn't uncalled for. I did a lot of thinking last night as well, and I know I put you through more than I should have when you were growing up. And watching your father die couldn't have made it any better. I put both of you boys through a lot, and I can't go back and change any of it, I know that. But I  _can_ start making it better for you two now."   
  
Chi-Chi let out a heavy breath; she knew she had to let go of her son, starting now. He was growing older, and if she didn't stop being overprotective right now, she would damage him in the future. "You're meeting up with your classmate again, aren't you?" She changed tack at the drop of a hat, and Gohan flinched instinctively. What was she about to say?  
  
"Why don't you bring her up to meet Goten and myself?" A kind smile stretched across Chi-Chi's face, and the uncomfortable atmosphere melted on the spot.  "She can have lunch with us, and I'll get to see just what she's like."  
  
"Thanks, Mom!" Gohan smiled wide, unable to believe this. Not only had he and his mother made up, she actually wanted to meet Erasa.  
  


* * *

  
  
"Are you being serious, Gohan?" Erasa was speaking through the phone located in the cockpit of her hovercraft, having called Gohan only moments earlier so he would know she was on her way. "Your mother actually wants me to come up to the house?"  
  
" _Erasa, this is the fifth time you've asked me that, and the answer hasn't changed within the last minute,_ " Gohan's familiar, nonchalant laughter ringing through the receiver located on the dashboard. " _I can't believe it myself, but she really wants to meet you!_ "  
  
"Are you sure?" Erasa repeated her interrogation, refusing to believe, after all she'd heard, that Chi-Chi would actually allow her to step within even five feet of her home. "I'm still just so dumbfounded by this..."  
  
" _I told you, it's alright!_ " Gohan assured her quickly. " _That's the sixth time and counting, Erasa. You'll believe me only when you get here!_ "  
  
"Yeah, I guess you're right," Erasa agreed. "I'm almost there, so I'll see you when I arrive!" She pressed the button to end her call, unable to stop herself from smiling. Chi-Chi actually wanted to meet her...despite everything she'd heard about this woman, Gohan had somehow convinced his mother to meet her. " _Please, please like me..._ " Erasa thought to herself, desperately hoping Chi-Chi wouldn't disapprove of her in some way.  
  


* * *

  
  
The half-dome Son Residence came into view just over the hood of her hovercraft. She'd never truly gotten to see it in person before; rubbing her eyes, she noted it was actually about what she expected. A humble home in the middle of the mountains suited Gohan very well. Peering out of the bubble-shield, she saw there was no landing space, but Gohan was standing on the ground waiting for her, waving towards an open spot right in front of the house.  
  
With Gohan acting as marshal, the hovercraft thrummed down to the grassy field, gently clanking to a perfect landing. With the crisp clicking of gears, the bubble shaped shield pulled back, allowing Erasa to make a agile jump down to the soft soil in front of her aircraft. As she had come originally to continue training, Erasa's attire was fairly light; a navy blue jacket, worn over a green undershirt that pooled out from underneath, as well as cycling tights which matched the jacket in colour, and dark blue sneakers.   
  
Gohan, unconsciously, appreciated the sharp contrast to Erasa's school-clothes and casual attire — though he had the distinct feeling that Erasa could look good no matter what she was wearing.   
  
The two ran over to greet each other, smiles wide on their faces. Upon closer inspection, Gohan saw faint bags under Erasa's eyes — a clear indication of a lack of sleep. "Hey Erasa, are you alright?" He inquired, concerned. "It doesn't look like you slept much at all."  
  
"Don't worry about it," Erasa replied through a barely stifled yawn. "It wasn't much, I'm in better shape than Videl — I think her vigilante duties, schoolwork, and training are all starting to collapse in on her." Despite her exhausted state, she looked cheerful and her face was brimming with energy. "Let me show you why I look so beat."  
  
The latter statement perked Gohan's interest. "Go on, I'm eager to see!"  
  
Erasa cupped both her hands in front of her body, and, with a soft flash, a spiraling sphere of bright white  _ki_  energy formed in her palms. She smiled, looking over at Gohan expectantly. "Isn't it amazing? I stayed up all night practicing this, Gohan! And now I can do it within seconds!"  
  
"Erasa, that's amazing!" Gohan was impressed and even a little surprised by Erasa's progress. For a human to have come this far with  _ki_  training in just a day was unheard of — with the possible exception of his father's friend, Yamcha, who Gohan had heard started from swordsmanship before progressing to  _ki_  as a young adult. "I've never seen anyone progress so far; you're a natural talent!"  
  
Closing her hands, she compressed the sphere until it vanished, a victorious smile crossing her face. Staying up all night had been a success after all. Even better, he seemed absolutely impressed. " _Now if his mother can just react the same way_." She thought, a nervous chuckle escaping her lips. "Thanks, Gohan! Now..." She cast her eyes towards the wooden front door of the Son residence.  
  
"Are you nervous?" Gohan inquired, despite the answer being obvious.   
  
"If only a little," Erasa replied, her voice unsure. "Given everything you've said, your mother seems like a very imposing woman. I'm not sure how well she's going to take to me, actually." It was a strange tense feeling she couldn't shake; she could feel her heart pounding away, and a bead of sweat dripped down her face.   
  
"Don't worry," Gohan replied, placing his hand very gently on her shoulder in an encouraging manner. "My mother, for all her ups and downs, is a good person when you get to know her. And I know you'll be fine, so, let's go greet her." Whether Erasa — or even Gohan himself — was ready for this moment was irrelevant now; Gohan pulled the wooden door to his home open as gently as possible to avoid snapping the hinges.  
  
"Mom, she's here!" Gohan called out to his mother as Erasa kicked her shoes off at the door.  
  
"She is?" The voice of Chi-Chi rang from the kitchen, and Gohan's careful ears could excited trepidation behind Chi-Chi's tone. It appeared every individual present was worried this little gathering might backfire in some way.   
  
"Goten, come over here to meet our guest," Chi-Chi called upstairs as she walked into the living room, drying her hands on a white cloth which she quickly stowed inside her apron. The younger brother had been called back for lunch and was currently playing in his room.   
  
" _So this is Chi-Chi._ " Erasa thought nervously, her sapphire orbs scanned Chi-Chi over, and a quick look told her everything she needed to know. This woman was the spitting image of a housewife, and yet she had a powerful presence around her that was complimented by her beautiful pale skin and ebony hair. In fact, Erasa noted she could see quite a bit of resemblance between mother and son, despite the different genders and body build.   
  
"H-hello, Mrs. Chi-Chi," Erasa stumbled through a very awkward greeting, and her face flushed crimson as a result of her embarrassment.   
  
" _I can definitely see why Gohan has a thing for her,_ " Chi-Chi thought, scanning over Erasa similarly to how Erasa had analyzed her. " _Blonde hair, athletic build...she almost reminds me of myself when I was younger._ " Chi-Chi smiled warmly, half in response to Erasa's endearing greeting, and half due to remembering herself and Goku when they were younger. Decided she approved of Erasa, Chi-Chi extended a welcoming hand to Erasa, who took it in surprise.  
  
"It's very nice to meet you, Erasa," The housewife replied warmly, and both Gohan and Erasa relaxed, all tension vanishing. "And please, don't be so formal. Call me Chi-Chi. I trust you're taking good care of my son?"  
  
"Of course," Erasa replied confidently, feeling much more at ease now that Chi-Chi seemed to be accepting her. "Gohan is in completely safe hands with me."  
  
"That's good to hear," The older woman smiled, pleased with this answer. "Come on, we'll take more during lunch. GOTEN, COME ON OUT HERE!" Her cheerful demeanor quickly switched to stern mother the moment she had to tell Goten what to do for a second time.  
  


* * *

  
  
Lunch at the Son household was a new experience for Erasa. Having lived in a city all her life, she was surprised the moment she saw the Son siblings setting the wooden table that Gohan had placed almost directly outside of the half-dome dwelling. While Gohan and his mother went about setting out trays of food, Erasa and Goten hit it off almost instantly, the boy's childishly adorable disposition winning her over immediately.   
  
"Thank you for inviting me to lunch, Chi-Chi," Erasa confessed, only realizing just how hungry she was when she saw the food that had been placed onto the table; bowls of rice, platters of grilled fish, deep fried pork, as well as assorted vegetables. It appeared the Son family really enjoyed to eat meat.  
  
"I'm glad to have over, so don't mention it," Chi-Chi replied casually, doling out rice into her own bowl. While her sons eagerly began to eat — so much like their father when it came to food — Chi-Chi decided to strike up conversation with Erasa. The more she could learn about this girl, the better.  
  
"So, how's your home life?" The elderly woman asked casually. "What do your parents do for a living?"  
  
Erasa blinked, the question taking her by surprise. She hadn't expected to be interrogated by Chi-Chi, but she supposed answering her questions wouldn't hurt — besides, nothing the ebony-haired woman had asked was anything Gohan didn't already know.   
  
"I'm an only child, and I live with my father," The blonde girl explained, talking amid the sounds of Goten and Gohan devouring food. "My mother died seven years ago, before I started high school. Ever since then, it's just been Dad and myself."  
  
Chi-Chi's hand shot up towards her mouth, stifling a sympathetic gasp that escaped it. "I-I'm sorry to hear that," The woman immediately offered her condolences to the younger girl. "I shouldn't have pried."  
  
"No, don't worry about it," Erasa insisted, not wanting Chi-Chi to get uncomfortable so quickly. "It's been a few years already, and ever telling Gohan about this, I'm actually getting a little better at talking about it."   
  
While it was obvious to Gohan that Erasa was still not truly comfortable mentioning her mother's death, he did take notice that she was in fact improving. The awkward silence that had plagued them both only a few weeks prior at the very mention of their dead parents had not manifested itself here.  
  
"My father works in an office regulating booking and numbers for the Office Supplies Company," Erasa carried on. "He's the overseeing manager of his office, so he actually makes enough money to keep us afloat. We're not rich but he works hard enough that we can live in Satan City's better districts and our house has quite a few luxuries." Erasa smiled to herself, thinking of just how hard her father truly does work to provide for both of them.   
  
Chi-Chi couldn't help but smile as well. For everything she'd said to Gohan — and she was now internally apologizing for every insult — it appeared her son had latched himself onto a very dependable and well adjusted girl. "And what about you, Erasa? What do you do in your spare time?"  
  
"Me?" The blonde girl's azure orbs widened, a tad surprised at an additional question, but she nevertheless went on to make an answer. "My focus is athletics and sports. I'm a member at a gym, and at school I'm in several athletic clubs this semester. In fact I'm on the swim team right now. I guess you could call me the athletic type."   
  
"Oho, an active girl," Chi-Chi's approval of Erasa was only furthering itself with every detail the girl spoke. "That's good, you're going to need energy to keep up with Gohan."  
  
"Oh, I know," Erasa replied, giggling, and the two women started to laugh, causing Gohan to wonder if he was the butt of some joke only these two could understand.  
  
"Is Erasa the girl Gohan is kissy-kissy with?" Goten asked innocently, while still shoveling food into his mouth in a manner characteristic of Goku.  
  
The reaction to such an innocent sentence was astounding. Gohan, who had been eating a healthy portion of rice, immediately spewed half-chewed food at rocket speed in the direction of his little brother in shock. Erasa, on the other hand, began to cough furiously, having inhaled a small piece of food in surprise.   
  
"Goten!" Gohan sputtered, wiping rice from his chin.  
  
"I-it's not like that yet!" Erasa rasped, her breathing uneven. Completely missing the last word, she felt that her face had flushed crimson once more. Why was she so vehemently in denying such an accusation? Certainly it wouldn't be bad, would it...?  
  
Wiping his face of the spewed rice, Goten continued to press the two, oblivious to his innocent insensitivity. "If it's not that yet, will it be that soon? Are you going to be my new sister?"  
  
"Goten, that's enough, don't pester them," Chi-Chi reprimanded her youngest son, causing Goten to silence himself. Erasa and Gohan breathed a sigh of relief, now that the awkward questioning was over. Chi-Chi, on the other hand, felt a smile slide onto her face. " _They're so awkward together. It truly does remind me of myself and Goku in our younger years. But, I suppose that's how all cute couples start._ " Satisfied with this thought, the mother watched as a normal atmosphere settled again around the table.   
  


* * *

  
  
"Learning to fly isn't that difficult, especially now that you've got a handle on controlling  _ki_ ," Gohan explained, he and Erasa sitting down on the grass in their familiar spot. Lunch had ended rather successfully, and Chi-Chi had agreed to let the teenagers have their alone time while Goten mentioned going to meet up with Trunks, who wanted to show him something "cool".  
  
"I can handle it, easy or difficult," The blonde girl clenched her fists at her sides, a look of firm determination on her face.   
  
"I know you can," Gohan chuckled, finding Erasa's confidence to be an admirable trait. It was one of Erasa's many positive traits, that she seemed unable to back down in the face of adversity. Gohan definitely liked that about her. "Let's stand up. You'll need to for this."  
  
Erasa followed his instructions, clambering to feet, showing slightly more difficulty than Gohan, who seemed to leap into an upright possession easily.   
  
"As I said, learning to fly is a lot more simple than it sounds, and when you get a handle on flying, using  _ki_  for other purposes will all be second nature to you," Gohan explained, justifying fairly quickly why he was trying to teach Erasa to fly before anything else. "Tell me, what was the first thing you noticed about the  _ki_  sphere you created yesterday?"  
  
"Um..." Erasa fumbled over an answer in her head. The first thing she remembered was the warmth of the  _ki_  energy as it spread throughout her body; almost like a bath set at just the right temperature. But she had a suspicion that this wasn't the correct answer. "If I had to guess...it was self-sustaining, right? After I generated the sphere, I didn't need to focus on it to actively maintain it, and I didn't need to apply any more energy to it other than the amount I'd used to create it in the first place."  
  
"That's dead-on!" Gohan's tone praised her intuition; he hadn't expected to guess it correctly, though he supposed her practice last night had given her some understanding of exactly how the sphere worked. Pleasant surprise changing to satisfaction, he knew it would easier to explain from here.   
  
"Flying is going to be a bit more difficult than simply creating a sphere of  _ki_ ," Gohan carried on, Erasa listening intently. "In creating the sphere of  _ki_ , you only need to draw out a finite amount of  _ki_  and give it shape. It's a basic introductory lesson to the art of  _ki_  control.  
  
"However, in order to fly, the process is going to be a bit tricky," Gohan knew this would be the critical moment of explanation. "The general explanation is that you simply take your  _ki_ , and place it underneath you, and doing this holds you up. But there's a bit more to it than just that."  
  
" _That explanation sounded simple enough,_ " Erasa thought to herself. " _How can that be tricky?_ "  
  
"To fly, you'll need to pull the  _ki_  from the center of your body, and then a constant amount of  _ki_  from the soles of your feet; this requires precise, exact control," Gohan continued on as Erasa hung onto his every word. "You can't release too much or too little, only the exact amount required to make you float. The flight technique will refine your control of  _ki_  to the point that you can use only the exact amount needed with other techniques, and with enough practice, releasing the proper amount to float above the ground and fly through the air becomes second nature."   
  
"Now I see what you mean," Erasa chuckled. The basic explanation of placing  _ki_  underneath oneself sounded easy enough, however, the necessary control needed to maintain flight was where Erasa knew she was going to have a few issues.  
  
"I've got a way to make it easier on you," The hybrid helpfully offered. "As opposed to simply standing in one spot and willing your feet to lift you up, it might be better to take baby-steps into the process. This will be another lesson in  _ki_  control, similar to the sphere formation. From the center of your body, gather your ki, and disperse it throughout the rest of your body — focus it into your limbs — imbuing your muscles with your own latent energy."   
  
Gohan stood straight, with his arms at his sides and legs together. "As the energy spreads through your body, perform simple jumping jacks." He jumped into the air, moving both legs outward and raising his arms above his head, jettisoning ki from his feet to ensure the highest leap. Floating softly in the air, he called down to Erasa, "At the moment you make a leap, expel your  _ki_  from your feet, and try to gain altitude. Remember, not too much, or you may lose your balance entirely. Too little and you won't go anywhere." He descended neatly to the ground as Erasa watched in amazement, eyes wide.  
  
"That was...amazing! But isn't jumping jacks a bit of an odd way to introduce someone to flight?" Erasa inquired, confused. While she had to admit, Gohan made it look cool, jumping jacks didn't seem very effective at learning to fly. It honestly reminded her of something a buffoon would do, trying to flap their arms as if they could fly.   
  
"It may seem like that at first, but you'll soon find there's a bit more technique to employing this method than simply waiting around," Gohan's casual explanation was enough to give Erasa a confidence booster. He'd been doing this for years now, so he had to know what he was talking about.   
  
"Alright! I'll give it my best!" The blonde girl replied confidently.  
  


* * *

  
  
And thus, Erasa's training to master  _Bukūjutsu_ — the art of flying. Unsurprising, Erasa found that emitting a set amount of  _ki_  from her body was proving to be very difficult. Several tries afforded her no results; she simply looked like a high school girl performing jumping jacks in her free time.   
  
Dragging the  _ki_  from it's origin in the center of her body wasn't an issue for Erasa by this point; she knew very well how to find it, and the sensation of pulling it out. Getting the amount to be just what she needed to float, however, was proving far more difficult than she'd hoped.   
  
"I can't give you any advice for that," Gohan explained when Erasa had asked Gohan exactly how much  _ki_  she would need to get off the ground. "The  _ki_ needs to be able to match the weight of your body, so the amount of  _ki_  needed to fly is going to differ for every person who uses the technique. You simply need to remember the feeling of the first time you lift off the ground; commit to memory and replicate it!"  
  
Taking this to heart, Erasa began to performing jumping jacks once more, concentrating on the  _ki_  within her body, steadily trying to increase the amount she'd need to become airborne. For nearly half an hour, nothing truly eventful happened. Erasa had managed to expel slightly more  _ki_  than before, however, the end result was barely enough to take her an inch off the ground — and unable to control herself in this brief weightless state, Erasa felt herself wobbling and she fell backwards...right into the arms of Gohan, who, smiling, had reacted with lightning speed to prevent Erasa from falling on her rear.  
  
"Are you alright?" Gohan asked, his voice concerned despite the amused smile that crept across his face.  
  
"Y-yeah..." Erasa panted, the shock of the fall leaving her short of breath. The proximity of Gohan's body to her own, especially in this scenario — the second time he'd saved her from some form of injury — caused the young woman's face to flush pink in the cheeks. "Let me try again, I'll get it right this time!"  
  
"Alright, but don't stress yourself," Gohan urged her, helping her up and moving off to the side, resuming his position as overseer. " _That was actually a really close attempt. I didn't expect her to get the handle controlling her own ki in such a short amount of time..._ "  He watched Erasa with proud eyes as he kept a close watch on her physical form and the  _ki_  she was using through his ability to sense  _ki_. Remembering his childhood, Gohan knew that it took even him much longer than this to get a handle on  _ki_  control; admittedly, he wasn't much to speak of as a child, and most of the time he should have spent learning  _ki_  was wasted crying for Piccolo to come save him.  
  
" _I wonder how Piccolo is doing...?_ " Gohan thought to himself as he shrugged off that last memory and internally snarked that Erasa was quite lucky not to have asked the Namekian to give her lessons.  
  
Stopping to steady her breath, Erasa drew  _ki_  from the center of her body, whilst performing the movements for the jumping jacks. She spread the  _ki_  throughout her body, feeling new strength flow through her muscles. Making her leap, Erasa forced ki down through her feet, however, she made one critical error; she overdid it, expelling more energy than she'd intended.   
  
"Whoooooooaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah!!!" She cried as she felt herself rocket upward, wind pressured bearing down on her body with immense force, but the speed at which she shot upward, much like a champagne cork, ignored it entirely.  
  
"Erasa!" Gohan reacted like a snake striking prey; the moment he saw Erasa violently rocket upwards, he immediately lifted himself from the ground, dashing straight past Erasa, floating far above her in the sky. He had to forcibly suppress the urge to catch her body — a sudden stop from moving at such speed could end in Erasa's death — and he thrust his hands forward, releasing an invisible, multi-layered barrier of sparse ki to impede, but not stop, Erasa's progress.  
  
The girl felt herself collide with an invisible cushion, breaking through before she collided with several more, feeling her body gradually slow down to a more reasonable pace, until she could barely feel the air pressure on her body. It was then that Gohan made his move, deftly catching the girl and descended to the ground.   
  
The blonde chuckled weakly in Gohan's arms, and, trying to ignore the fact that she was firmly pressed against Gohan's chest, she looked up into the worried eyes of the Saiyan-Human hybrid. "H-hey, I technically made myself airborne this time!" She quipped, trying to assuage the boy's worries.  
  
Gohan's face relaxed, letting out a weak laugh of his own. "You nearly die, and you make a joke about it...what am I going to do with you?"  
  


* * *

  
Several hours had since passed after Erasa's mishap. The fiery red orb that hung in the sky was descending low over the horizon, dyeing the once-blue sky a brilliant mixture of red and orange, that settled into a dim mauve in the far horizon as the time escaped both of the teenagers on the sun-dyed grass below.  
  
These several hours, however, had not been wasted. Erasa's perseverance and faith in her own abilities, as well as Gohan's careful guidance and monitoring of her progress, had paid off in a very big way.   
  
Erasa was floating several inches off the ground. With a wide grin, she was truly defying gravity, and, while not in a true state of weightlessness, was capable of maintaining it fairly well for someone who'd only succeeded not five minutes ago.   
  
"You did it!" Gohan crowed excitedly, a wide grin on his face at the sight of Erasa's success. "You're actually floating!"  
  
"G-Gohan, let me concentrate!" Erasa replied sharply, her grin fading as the distraction of Gohan's voice nearly caused her to stop releasing  _ki_  from the soles of her feet. Breathing heavily, she slowly lowered the amount of  _ki_  she released, and in doing so, lowered herself steadily until she touched the ground. "Whew...!" She wiped the sweat from her brow, appearing as if she'd just run a mile.  
  
"Erasa, that was amazing!" Gohan was seemingly unaware of being reprimanded by the blonde haired girl, continued to yammer on in his excitement. "If you keep making steady progress like this, you'll be flying in no-time flat. Just remember the feeling you had; apply that amount of energy again, and this shouldn't be a problem for you!"  
  
"That feeling..." Erasa tried to remember the feeling of floating; the  _ki_  she'd released from her feet felt similar to the sphere she'd generated from before, but different; a kind of calm euphoria. "I'll remember it!" As she looked at the sky, and the brilliant setting sun, Erasa only just realized how late it was getting.  
  
"I really should be getting home, Gohan," The blonde girl said, with an edge of disappointment in her voice. She wasn't eager to leave, but her father would get worried if she wasn't home soon. And worse, the duo's next week of school began the following day — this might seriously dampen their training. Pulling out her case of Hoi-Poi capsules, she rummaged around in it, pulling out capsule number 3. Tossing it casually, it exploded with a large puff of smoke into Erasa's familiar jet flier.  
  
"'I'll pick you up for school tomorrow," Gohan replied, still brimming with excitement.   
  
"Don't be late!" Erasa called back as the bubble-shield pulled back, allowing Erasa to leap into the cockpit, closing the shield once more. Smiling to herself at just how eventual and positive her day had been, she waved at Gohan as the vehicle rose into the air, before flying off and out of sight, leaving the hybrid alone in the sunset.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Whoo boy. This chapter took longer to put out than I like; over two weeks, in fact. One thing I really hope my readers take to heart is that it's not the speed in which the chapter is produced, but the content within the chapter that matters. This chapter may have taken less time to put out, had I not been playing a few games I borrowed from a friend of mine and would really like to return at some point in the near future.
> 
> I really hope everyone enjoys this chapter; I did like writing it, even though the delay was too long. Gohan and Chi-Chi apologizing was a fairly difficult scene, because (and this runs in my family), I have issues apologizing myself. I don't like to be wrong, or to admit that I am wrong, so it was as difficult for me to write the apologies as it was for Gohan and Chi-Chi to say them.
> 
> Stay tuned, everyone, for the next exciting chapter of The Erased Chronicles. I've got a bit in store to make the next chapter for more eventful than this one! And, as always, let's thank my friend Mangetsu20, who is a big help in both brainstorming and proofreading!


	7. The Game Changer

"Alright Mom!" Gohan was already dashing towards the door, slinging his book-bag over his shoulder, comically slipping on his shoes as he gingerly opened the door and felt the crisp morning air fill his nostrils. "I'm heading off to school."  
  
"Alright honey!" Chi-Chi called out to her son from the kitchen, where she was doing dishes. "Have a good day at school, and tell Erasa I said hello!"   
  
"I will!" Gohan called back, smiling to himself at Chi-Chi's change in attitude. "Kinto'un!" His cry echoed throughout the mountains, and the Somersault Cloud came pelting his way, settling down onto the ground. Gohan clambered aboard his father's heirloom cloud, and it rose into the air, before taking off with a resounding sonic boom, tearing off above the treetops.  
  
" _To think Mom would be so accepting of Erasa..._ " Gohan was smiling broadly as Kinto'un flew full pelt towards Satan City. " _I was surprised that they both seemed to hit it off at dinner, even with Goten's impromptu interruption_." Gohan chuckled weakly as he remembered his younger brother's precocious behaviour.  
  
Gohan had to admit, he wasn't looking forward to returning to school. It wasn't the typical teenage reasoning — slothful behaviour and the like — but simply because it cut into his time to spend with Erasa, and it also cut right into her training. Though, he couldn't help but appreciate the fact that this would give him some casual time to spend with her that they couldn't always get focusing on her training.  
  
As the familiar skyline of Satan City loomed over the horizon, Gohan took the return of school as a positive situation. Little did he know his comfortable life would be interrupted by the events to unfold today.  
  


* * *

  
  
"So, do you think Videl is going to actually make it to class today?" Erasa posed the question to Gohan as they two were making their way from the lockers to their classroom. As was their usual, Gohan had picked Erasa up on the Kinto'un and they came to school through the rooftop. It was only now — after they'd exchanged their hellos and finished their own catching up after only a night of being apart — that the topic of Videl was approached.  
  
"Videl?" Gohan blinked in obvious confusion at Erasa. "Oh, that's right, she  _has_  been skiving off classes, and you did mention yesterday she seemed to be running herself ragged." One couldn't blame Gohan for having Videl slip his mind; the girl was Erasa's friend, not his, and everytime they even met each other in the halls, the daughter of Mr. Satan made her dislike very apparent for Gohan by staring daggers at him. He'd made a point to avoid the girl by now.  
  
"Yeah, I'm actually starting to get worried," Erasa's forehead creased in stress; she really was worried for her friend's well being. "I think she might be overexerting herself, trying to do schoolwork, helping the police, and keeping up her training all at the same time. It has to be taking a toll on her..."  
  
"There's no need to be worried," The Saiyan-Human hybrid tried to reassure her. "Videl's tough, if nothing else. I'm sure she's doing fine." Gohan naturally had know way to know this, but he did know Videl wasn't one to quit without some kind of stubborn resistance.   
  
"You're right," Erasa agreed, exhaling a sigh of relief at Gohan's comforting words. "Videl's tough as nails."   
  
The two made it to Classroom 3B, and the first thing that caught both their eyes was that Sharpener sat alone; Gohan and Erasa had yet to file into their own seats, and Videl hadn't yet arrived. Erasa shot Gohan a look, but the two didn't say anything yet. Erasa hid her worry as they made their way to their seats.  
  
"Hey Sharpener, have you seen Videl?" Erasa quickly asked Sharpener the whereabouts of her friend, taking the blonde-haired boy by surprise.  
  
"Actually, no," He replied with a simple shrug of the shoulders. "She's been looking pretty worn down lately, after all; she's even been skipping classes and doing her homework and other assignments by correspondence. She's probably been buckling down on her hero duties ever since the Golden Warrior has been making those regular appearances."  
  
" _If I let some cocky vigilante steal the spotlight, not only will I forever be stuck in my father's shadow, but I might not even be able to save the stragglers that the Golden Warrior overlooks, or is just plain careless with! Just you wait — when he and I meet again, face to face, I'll show him who the real hero of Satan City is!_ "   
  
Erasa remembered Videl's firm determination when they'd met up for a practice match just the other weekend, but she didn't think the girl would go so far just to prove her point. "Videl..."  
  
Mr. Fahcolty entered the classroom, silencing any and all conversation with a sharp clearing of his throat. Satisfied that he could no longer hear Kuzetsu and Jōgen chattering off in the far back corner of the room, he made his way over to his desk. After a quick roll call — in which Videl was marked absent — the overworked instructor turned to his students, "Alright, class, let's begin the lesson..."   
  
As the teacher began his lecture, time seemed to flow by like normal. Questions were asked to the more astute, making examples for those less prone to be vigorous in their studies. Special equations were made on the board and minute classroom activity was given, if not but lift the dreary cloud that passively hangs over the teacher's head.   
  
Before anyone would know it, an hour would pass, and the bell would ring for the class's end.   
  
The class began to pack their bags, stuffing their notes on the ancient philosopher 'Diarrheus' into their bookbags and filed out for the ten-minute break period before their next classes. Erasa and Gohan were lagging behind, however, the former still worried that Videl had missed the first class of the day entirely.  
  
"She really didn't make it to class..." Erasa sighed as the two descended from their seats down to the main platform. "What is she thin-"  
  
Before Erasa could finish her thought, the door slammed open to reveal a slightly gaunt, and very clearly exhausted, Videl. Two weeks of stress and overwork was finally beginning to physically take its toll on the teenage girl; she seemed slightly pale, with dark circles under her eyes, and she even looked a little thinner — though not to an extreme, it simply seemed that weight loss was just now starting.   
  
"Videl!" Erasa cried out as her friend stumbled into the room, still looking very ragged, and carrying a folder in her hand. The ebony-haired girl ignored Erasa, shot Gohan a half-sincere death glare, and made her way over to the teacher.  
  
"Here, Mr. Fahcolty," The girl handed him the folder, her voice slightly horse. "My homework and classwork from the previous week."  
  
The wizened man took the folder, placing it on his desk next to the other assignments he'd collected over the hour long period. "Videl, if you'd like advice, you really should ease up on your responsibilities. Leave the crime fighting to the Golden Fighter and the police; it's plain as day that you're under an immense amount of stress."  
  
"I'm sorry, Mr. Fahcolty," The exhausted girl brushed him off. "I refuse to let that bleached-hair 'hero' wannabe handle everything. We can't trust him, so I'll pick up the slack!" As if on cue, her wristwatch began to beep. "Videl here!" The girl replied, answering.   
  
" _There's two armed robbers in Backpack town!_ " The panicked voice of the police officers rang through loud and clear, catching the ears of Gohan and Erasa, as well as Mr. Fahcolty, who looked at Videl with a resigned look on his face. " _We're in pursuit along Route 81, towards the mountains!_ "  
  
"I'm on my way!" Videl replied firmly, making a dash for the door. As she made it to the exit, the girl slipped, falling to her knees due to dizziness.   
  
"Videl, rethink this!" Erasa rushed over to her friend frantically, trying to help her up. "You can't fight any crime in your current state! Think about this!"  
  
"Let me go, Erasa!" Videl shouted as she tried to shrug her friend off. But due to the girl's exhausted state, and the side benefits of Erasa's new-found training, gave the blonde a vicegrip on the ebony-tressed girl's shoulders that surprised them both.  
  
"How did you get so strong...?" Videl questioned, with acid in her voice. This would normally be an average question, but Erasa could already detect the suspicious accusation behind it. "It's because of  _him_ , isn't it?" The blue-eyed girl shot Gohan a look of pure venom that brought to mind the phrase 'if looks could kill'.  
  
"Well, I..." Erasa stammered, loosening her grip as she tried to think of some way out of Videl's accusation.   
  
Her friend, however, shook her off, clambering to her feet and dashing out of the building.   
  
"Videl! Wait!" Erasa called out frantically but Videl disregarded her entirely, vanishing around the corridor. "Videl...why are you doing all of this...?"  
  
Gohan's eyes narrowed in obvious frustration, and he handed his bag to Erasa, who looked at him in surprise.   
  
"Erasa, hold my bag, please. And make up an excuse for me when you get to our next class." He turned back to her, smiling a broad smile full of confidence. "I'm going to go help her, and bring her back. Before she winds up getting killed."  
  


* * *

  
  
The sound of police sirens filled the air as two men sped along the highway in their getaway hovercar. Both parties were opening fire on the other, the police desperate to damage the getaway car before the criminals managed to make an escape.  
  
"Stop your car or we'll be forced to shoot!" The officer in the passenger's seat called out the window, aiming his pistol once more and firing three rounds at the trunk of the car.  
  
"Ain't ya already shootin', officer!?" The skinnier of the two criminals shouted back, pulling the trigger to find an empty firearm. "Damn hypocrites..." He grumbled, retreating inside the vehicle again.  
  
"Finish 'em off, Zain!" The larger of the two robbers, a burly man with a completely shaved head and thin moustache, called to his cohort as he made a sharp left turn along the side of the highway.   
  
"I'm on it, Bōmono!" Zain replied, reaching into the back of their car and pulling out a panzerfaust — a pre-loaded, anti-tank weapon — and aiming it directly at the center space between both pursuing cop cars. Squeezing a lever located on the weapon itself, it launched the projectile towards the police. It collided with the highway concrete, exploding violently and taking the cars and police out in a flurry of fire.  
  
"Woohoo!" Zain cheered wildly as he watched the fireworks.  
  
"Huh?" Bōmono's eyes were attracted to the sight of something very odd in the center of the street; a young girl standing in front of a hovercraft embroidered with the bold letters SATAN. He slowed the hovercar down, not out of concern for the girl, but to avoid crashing into the hovercraft parked directly behind her.  
  
"You're in the way, girlie," The muscled man said, stepping out of the vehicle and onto the road. "Step aside, or I'll make you move."  
  
The haggard Videl held up a clanking pair of handcuffs, shooting the man her now trademark death glare. "Put your weapons down now, and put your hands up! Unless you want to get hurt!"  
  
Bōmono chuckled, amused. "Did'ja hear that, Zain? Betty over hear thinks she can take us!"  
  
Zain, however, was no fool, and recognized Videl the instant he'd stepped out of the vehicle. "Bōmono, hold your horses man. I've seen that dame on TV! She's the daughter of Mr. Satan!" His hands shaking slightly, he was holding his pistol towards the girl, poised to kill. "She prides herself a 'hero of justice'."  
  
"Is that right?" Bōmono smirked, giving Videl a quick once-over. "She's a lot cuter 'n her dad. And I do like 'em young."  
  
"Sicko..." Videl hissed, blinking rapidly to keep herself awake. Refusing to believing she was in over her head, the girl cast the handcuffs to the side of the road. "If you want to play it rough, that's a dance for two!" Rushing forward, she leapt into the air, delivering a deliberate, mid-air snap kick to the man's chin, stunning him as it knocked him back and to his knees.   
  
He chuckled, grinning at her and wiping blood from his chin. "Whaddya know? You ain't too bad, kid." His shoulders shaking with his own snickering, he stood up, cracking his knuckles. "But I like the ones with a little fight in 'em. Though I can see, you ain't in no condition to fight me. Why don't you be a good little girl and come with us?"   
  
"Feh!" Videl spat, landing shakily onto the ground, struggling to maintain her balance. "I can easily handle riff-raff like you even in my current state...!" Of course, Videl was never one to properly assess her own condition. Two weeks of nothing but training, vigilante work, and schoolwork with minimal sleep and even skipping meals wasn't good for the human body, and Videl, no matter what she said, wasn't in any state to fight these thugs.  
  
"Keep talkin' big, kid," Bōmono sneered, walking over to the girl with a menacing gate. "I'm going to love shutting that mouth of yours." Before Videl could react, the man slammed his fist directly into her jaw, stunning her and hitting it with enough force to lift her up off the ground.  
  
Saliva flew from Videl's mouth as the blow connected, and she felt a sharp pain in her skull as the thug yanked on her left pigtail to keep her from moving too far, dangling her in the air by her hair like one would hang out laundry to dry. The girl began to flail wildly, but in her weakened state, Bōmono may as well have been getting hit by feathers.  
  
"Alright kid, give it up!" He cried, and forcefully slammed his knee directly into Videl's gut, knocking the wind out of her and forcing her to cough up blood due to the force of the blow. The viscous red fluid dripped down her lips, splashing onto the concrete of the highway. At this point, Videl's body simply gave out; darkness overtook her vision as exhaustion finally set in and the girl entered the void.  
  
"Would ya look at that, the girl finally gave out," Bōmono shook Videl by her hair, earning no response from the fainted girl. "When it comes down to it, the unconscious ones have their appeal as well. Tho' to be honest, I'd love for her to be awake so I could hear her scream."   
  
"Bōmono, you can't be about to do  _that_ out here?" Zain protested quickly. "We're out in the open and the cops are tailing us! Wouldn't it be better just to take her back and throw her with the rest of the girls you got?"  
  
"It'll be awhile before the cops pull their sorry asses our way," The burly man retorted, and to be fair, he had a point. It had been several minutes now, and no other police vehicles had made any form of pursuit. "This girl made me go through so much effort, I'm going to get some payment in return!" Pinning the unconscious girl to the ground, and it was only now that he properly got a good look at her. "The girl is even dressed to make this easy for me; bike shorts and a t-shirt. I couldn't ask for a better prize." The man pulled at the hem of the black, skintight shorts, whilst simultaneously attempting to undo his belt buckle one-handed.  
  


* * *

  
 **A few minutes earlier...**  
  
"That girl," Gohan grumbled to himself as he made it out of the school building. He had no idea in which direction she'd gone, and given the girl had such a low  _ki_  signature, he may as well be searching with his eyes. " _I need to get to a high point, and search for her_ ki _from there_."   
  
Ascending to the top of the school, Gohan perched himself on the rooftop, and closed his eyes, searching the area for Videl's  _ki_  signature. As he had no idea where Route 81 was, this was the only way he could find her. After a few minutes, he felt a powerful — by human standards — spike of  _ki_  in the west.   
  
"There!" Gohan stood up, immediately turning towards the source of the  _ki_. Within seconds, he'd transformed into a Super Saiyan, bringing the Golden Warrior back to Satan City. In a burst of golden light, Gohan tore through the skies, finding himself traveling high above the highway. He passed over an utterly destroyed portion of highway, and he knew he was headed in the right direction.  
  


* * *

  
  
" _This is horrible..._ " He thought to himself, gritting his teeth. Was was with this city and its criminals?  
  
Flying for only a few more seconds finally brought Gohan to the scene of the crime; his eyes quickly took in the scene, with Zain standing off in the background, and Videl, unconscious and pinned to the ground. Bōmono had perched himself on top of the girl, and was in the middle of removing her shorts.  
  
Gohan took one look at the man's face, and an inexplicable feeling of rage came over him. This man's face, his familiar visage, brought back bitter memories of years ago. That horrible fight with the Saiyans who invaded Earth; Nappa and Vegeta.  
  
 _"DIE!" The bald, muscular Saiyan cried out as he released a furious blast of white energy towards the cowering Saiyan child. Even though his training had taught him better than this, the boy's age was catching up to him, and he froze up in terror, raising his arms in front of face as if to shield himself. The ground trembled as Gohan's vision became nearly enveloped in a flash of white._  
  
 _He was going to die._  
  
 _But then, faster than he could see, a shadow appeared in front of him, obscuring the light almost entirely. Gohan's eyes widened in shock. It was his beloved teacher, Mr. Piccolo._  
  
 _A bloodcurdling, guttural scream filled the air as Piccolo threw his body in front of Gohan as a shield; the energy blast collided with the Namekian, ripping into his flesh as his screams filled the air, shocking everyone present. An explosion of pure white energy enveloped the scene, causing the ground to quake even further as dust billowed from ground zero._  
  
 _The Saiyan, Nappa was visibly panting, having exhausted most of his ki reserves in the effort to finish off one half-blood child. Firmly believing them to be dead, he smirked to himself, content with his work. However, the smoke cleared, to reveal a thoroughly beaten and battered Piccolo, still standing in front of Gohan with every intention of keeping the child of his worst enemy alive and well._  
  
 _"P-P-P-Piccolo!?" Gohan stammered, confused as to why the man who was supposed to be so strong stood before him, a dead man walking._  
  
 _"It's...okay kid...no sweat..." The Namekian grunted, heaving with every breath as pain rocked his body. Chuckling to himself, he suddenly felt his body give way as every organ collapsed under the pressure and he fell to the ground, unable to move a muscle._  
  


* * *

  
  
This moment; who would have thought it would haunt Gohan well into his teenage years.  
  
The time the ruthless Saiyan Nappa had killed his teacher in cold blood. And yet here that man stood before him, alive and well. Could that even be possible? With a face of fury, Gohan descended to the concrete. The gentle click of his shoes against the ground, as well as the obvious descent of a teenage boy from midair, caught the attention of the two thugs.  
  
"You..." Gohan's emerald eyes shot a piercing glare directly at Bōmono.  
  
"What?" Bōmono looked at Gohan as if the boy was out of his mind. Stopping himself in his tracks, he took his hands off Videl — whose shorts were mercifully on her body, Gohan, it seemed, had arrived at just the right moment — and stood up, glaring at the Super Saiyan. "Who the hell are you? You got a death wish, kid?"  
  
The visage of Nappa, clad in Saiyan armor, crossed Gohan's eyes, merging with the appearance of the thug as his clenched his fists in anger. His golden aura ignited, gentle flames turning into a furious blaze of golden light. When Gohan spoke, it was less of his normal, soft voice, and instead a very audible snarl that escaped his throat. "How could I forget...that evil face of yours!?"  
  
"B-B-B-Bōmono!" Zain was trembling with fear at the sight of the positively enraged Gohan. "That's the Golden Warrior! Get off the girl and let's bail, now!"  
  
Bōmono turned towards Zain, eyes wide in shock and fear. "What!? The Golden Warrior!? There's no way that can be right!"  
  
As if the final words were the removal of a cork, Gohan felt rage surge through his body. "Never again...I won't let you hurt anyone else...EVER AGAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAIN!!!" His aura flaring further, causing the air and highway to quake under the pressure. He'd crossed the distance between himself and Bōmono within seconds, almost as if he simply materialized there with a fist raised, primed to strike.  
  
"N-N-N-N-NO, WAIT!" The man called out in a frantic plea. "Please! Mercy!"  
  
 _Mercy_. The word that stopped the Super Saiyan dead in his tracks. His father, even after all Nappa had done, didn't kill the man, even after crippling him; his fist halted just shy of connecting with Bōmono, but the force he exterted on the wind sent a focused concussive wave of pure wind pressure into the thug's face, shattering his jaw and sending him headlong towards Zain, knocking both men out with an audible crash.  
  
"What was I about to...?" Gohan blinked rapidly, steadying himself. He'd almost killed a human, and over what? His own repressed issues? He let out a quivering sigh; it had been a long time since he'd ever felt emotional unrest as a Full-Powered Super Saiyan. It was only then that he remembered Videl, unconscious on the highway road.   
  
" _You should have listened to Erasa..._ " Gohan thought to himself as he picked the girl up and propped her up against her own hovercraft. He'd take her back to the school's nurse's office, but his ears could detect oncoming sirens, and knew the officer's back-up would arrive and it would be best that Videl be taken to a proper hospital.

* * *

  
  
During the following week, Videl's injury in her latest vigilante escapade was kept a hushed secret — which of course, meant that in a high school of talkative, inquisitive teenagers, the entire student body knew about it by the end of the following day.  
  
It became the talk of the school, and the teaching staff, including a poor Mr. Fahcolty, had trouble getting their students to focus on the tasks at hand. Some of them — again, like poor Mr. Fahcolty — simply surrendered control of their classes to the gibbering oafs they called students, while other teachers took far more drastic measures in discipline.  
  
Due to their new-found freedom in class, Erasa and Gohan had plenty of time to talk about Videl's current condition. Videl was being kept in the hospital wing that Mr. Satan had built into his mansion for such an occasion; she received constant visits from her very worried father, showing he had at least one redeemable quality.  
  
"I told her she shouldn't have gone..." Erasa bit her thumb nail nervously. While Erasa knew Videl was certainly getting the best medical care possible, she couldn't help but worry. Videl had always been stubborn and eager to get in over her head — Erasa recalled a time when the girls were four and Videl had gotten into a scuffle with a large dog — but the blonde had hoped Videl would have learned to gauge her own capabilities.  
  
It would appeared that would never be the case.  
  
"Gohan," Erasa said softly, deliberately avoiding Sharpener's range of hearing. "I don't want this to happen to Videl again. What if you'd gotten there too late? Or something worse had happened? I want to continue our training, and I want to get stronger. So I can protect Videl, in case something like this happens again." She slipped her smooth, thin hands into Gohan's, gripping them tightly, her sapphire eyes meeting his onyx ones. "I want to keep her safe, Gohan."  
  
Squeezing her hand gently in return, Gohan was at a loss for words. While blushing slightly due to the close proximity of the girl, seeing Erasa's determination took him back to his own childhood; back when he was so eager to train with his father and Piccolo. How he'd beg his mother to let him train and participate in the battles his father was in; to be able to do his part for their planet. And now he realised Erasa shared his spirit, the urge to protect those you love, that feeling that you  _had_  to get stronger.  
  
"I know," Gohan replied firmly.   
  


* * *

  
  
It only took five days for Videl to recover enough to be able to walk and attend classes again, due to the wonders of modern medicine.   
  
Within this week, Gohan and Erasa had nearly doubled their training. While they'd initially resolved to train on the weekends only, Erasa's new resolve to protect Videl had caused them to balance their schoolwork and training in the evenings. To compensate for this, Gohan would often assist Erasa in her assignments, a simple task as the coursework was easier for him to finish than other students.   
  
With their homework out of the way, the two teenagers would practice flight in the evening, before the sun set, until the weekend finally set in and they had an entire two days to themselves. Buckling down on both Saturday and Sunday, the couples' efforts paid off; Erasa was no average talent, and by Sunday evening, she was flying freely through the air.  
  
"You've done it!" Gohan cried, lifting himself off the ground and into the air after Erasa, who began to perform spiraling loops as she crowed with laughter.   
  
"I'm flying, Gohan! I'm flying!" She was laughing and cheering like a small child; the feeling of flight was everything she'd imagined it to be. Uplifting, and so very freeing, she almost didn't want to touch down to the ground again. Seeing Gohan was following after her, Erasa turned, barreling straight towards Gohan, hugging him earnestly; an action which Gohan reciprocated.  
  
"You really did it, Erasa," Gohan replied, smiling widely. "In only a week, you managed to fly. That's so remarkable I should be stunned speechless!"  
  
"I can't believe it," The blonde girl replied, her azure orbs brimming with excitement. Then, as if losing herself in the euphoria, Erasa's lips met Gohan, kissing him deeply as she threw her arms around his neck. It took Gohan all of five seconds to process what was happening; the warm feeling of her lips, her body pressed against his; the shock quickly changed to elation as he responded with equal fervor.   
  
Completely oblivious to their surroundings, the two began an unconscious descent to the ground, both of them still locking lips; Gohan pulled Erasa closer to himself as the kiss deepened. It was only when the two made contact with the Earth again that they were brought back to reality and they pulled apart, blushing deep crimson.  
  
"I...guess we can't really say there's nothing between us anymore, can we?" Gohan asked quietly. In spite of everything, he felt very pleased with himself, and with this new development.   
  
"I don't see that as a bad thing, to be honest," Erasa replied, scratching her cheek nervously. She hadn't expected this to happen, not at all, and to make it even more embarrassing, she'd simply thrown herself as Gohan. But when she looked at him, she saw he wasn't unhappy in the slightest, and a feeling of joy shot through her entire being.  
  
"I guess the only question now is," Erasa began, her joy being replaced with dread.  
  
"Is how you confront Videl with this." Gohan finished, realizing their new predicament.  
  
Little did either of them know, the source of their predicament was watching from a hillside. Videl, after her week's rest in the hospital, had plenty of time to deliberate on what her next move should be when concerning Gohan and Erasa. While she didn't know the details entirely, she knew it had to have been Gohan — the Golden Warrior — who saved her. He was the only one who knew where she'd have been at the time, and could have caused that much damage to a normal person alone.  
  
So she did what anyone in her situation would do; researched Gohan's home address in the student registry and followed Erasa to his house to spy on her friend's meetings with Gohan. And unfortunately for the two of them, Videl had witnessed the entire kiss through a pair of binoculars. Albeit bandaged, with one arm in a cast, Videl managed to utterly crush the binocular pair in her working hand, the plastic and glass cutting into her hand as she grit her teeth in frustration.  
  
"Son Gohan..." The girl growled to herself, her face red with anger.  
  


* * *

  
 **The Following Day**  
  
"Gohan!"   
  
This was the first day that featured a change in Gohan and Erasa's usual morning routine. With her new-found flying abilities, Erasa, first thing in the morning, woke up and flew directly to Gohan's house. Calling out to him when she arrived, Gohan shoved his head out of his bedroom window, wearing just a t-shirt and boxers, seeing the floating figure of Erasa outside.  
  
"Erasa! What are you doing here already, it's not even seven 'o clock!" Gohan called out, and while he tried to sound frustrated, all he could do was smile and laugh at the girl's over-eagerness. "Why don't you land, I'll get dressed and ready!"  
  
Erasa landed neatly onto the ground, blushing slightly to herself due to Gohan's half-dressed state, but kept any comments to herself while she patiently waited in the crisp mountain air for Gohan to come out. Smiling to herself, she reflecting back to their kiss from yesterday — remembering the warm feeling of Gohan's lips on hers — and she wondered; did this change anything between them?   
  
She heard Gohan's voice from inside the house, though what he was saying was muffled by the door, she assumed he was telling Chi-Chi why he was up so early. When she heard the door open, she saw Gohan, now fully clothed and wearing his bookbag across his back.   
  
"Uh...hey..." He smiled, and the two's eyes met. Both obviously remembering yesterday, they quickly adverted their eyes, pale faces flushing pink in the morning light.   
  
"H-Hey yourself," Erasa giggled, uncharacteristically shy at the sight of Gohan standing in front of her. She placed her hands behind her back, and shuffled her feet as she looked at Gohan, and then quickly at the ground.   
  
"So..." Gohan began, extending a hand in a gesture.   
  
"I didn't peek!" Erasa cut him off quickly, still unwilling to look the Saiyan in the eye.  
  
"Wha...!?" Gohan was taken aback by the sudden outburst, unable to even complete his sentence. He looked at Erasa, perplexed. His confusion was understandable; Gohan was a man who, as a child, would swim naked with his father while fishing in the river, and this would qualify as quality bonding time. Shame wasn't something Son men usually experienced.  
  
"Nothing!" The girl replied shrilly, covering her face to hide her beet red visage from Gohan, and letting loose a muffled laugh into her palms at his innocent bewilderment.   
  
"Okaaaaay..." Gohan cleared his throat, eager to dispel this awkward atmosphere before it got even worse. "How about we get heading to school now? We can probably take our time, given how early it is..."  
  
Erasa nodded, smiling brightly. "Yes, please!"  
  
Smiling, Gohan rose into the air effortlessly, almost showing off in his flawless deployment of his  _ki_  energy. He beckoned Erasa to follow. "C'mon! Why don't we take the scenic route this time?"  
  
Erasa laughed joyously as she followed Gohan into the air, albeit a few seconds slower than himself. "Any more scenic than usual?"  
  
"We can always make it up as we go," Gohan replied, gently taking her hand in his and pulling her along with him. "Like running on water, or shooting through the cloud?"  
  
The blonde girl's face blushed again at the contact of skin, the warmth filling in her face despite just having faded. She wasn't deterred, however, and returned his light grip with a firm one of her own. "I never thought about doing things like that on my own before, let alone with you."  
  
"Well, now's our chance," Gohan nodded his head forward, grinning. "Let's go!"  
  
"Right!" Erasa replied firmly, and the two took off towards Satan City.  
  


* * *

  
  
The two made it to school with plenty of time to spare, given how early they'd left — even taking a tour around a nearby mountain range — the two landed, Erasa and Gohan retrieved their books from their lockers, before making their way to their classes.   
  
"Darn!" Gohan groaned in frustration, realization hitting him. "Erasa, go on into class without me. I forgot a few books, I need to go get them."  
  
"Hm? Alright, I'll be in class then," Erasa agreed. At first, she was contemplating going with him, but in case the bell rang while Gohan was getting books, she needed to be there to make an excuse so he wouldn't be marked late.   
  
Gohan turned the combination lock, opening his locker and taking the books he'd left inside, chuckling at his own forgetfulness. Closing the locker door, Gohan nearly jumped through the roof as he came face to face with an angry Videl, shooting him that look of loathing she reserved just for him.  
  
It took Gohan only moments to scan the girl over with his eyes and see she was still very much hurt; her left arm was slung into a cast, and her right hand was covered in bandages as well — little did Gohan know they were acquired but yesterday when the ebony-tressed girl crushed her binoculars whilst spying on Gohan and Erasa.   
  
"V-Videl...!" Gohan stuttered cautiously; he once again picked up the scent of confrontation emanating from Videl, that same pungent, cinnamon scent that struck his nose when Videl was particularly angry. "You...you're looking well! Up and about I see." Gohan was terrible at trying to talk his way out of situations like this, and with Videl's attitude now, no small talk could possibly save him.  
  
"You've been busy, haven't you, Gohan?" Videl snapped, wasting no time in forcing her suspicions on poor Gohan.   
  
"Busy?" Gohan blinked, for once, he was thoroughly confused. What was Videl getting at?  
  
"Well, let's see, why don't we?" Videl walked away from Gohan briefly, pretending to count whatever offences she planned to hurl at him off in her head. "...vigilante work as the infamous Golden Warrior must be really difficult to balance with our coursework and  _seducing my best friend._ Suffice to say, you've been just as busy as I am!"  
  
"The Golden Warrior?!" Gohan felt a bead of sweat drop down his face, the uncertainty apparent in his voice. "We've been over this before, you've got the wrong guy! And about this whole 'seducing' your-!"  
  
"Erasa also told me that," Videl nodded, cutting the Saiyan-hybrid off as she stared daggers. "And I'm not quite sure what bewitchment you have Erasa under, so much that she's so firmly in your corner, but I saw your entire fairy tale kiss moment yesterday. You can't argue your way out of that, Gohan."  
  
"You...you saw that, did you?" Gohan chuckled weakly, only to round on her a moment later. "Wait, how!? That happened by my house, how did you even find where I live!?"  
  
"I looked you up in the student registry," Videl replied airily, leaving Gohan's mouth agape. "But this isn't about me; I know you're the Golden Warrior! You were the only one besides Erasa who knew where I would have been when I went out to fight those criminals who can cause that kind of damage to a human body. I've seen what you can do as the Golden Warrior."  
  
"What kind of evidence is that!?" Gohan exclaimed, slightly disturbed by this girl's persistence and analytic skill, and yet he could still point out most of what she said was pure conjecture.  
  
"You're telling me all I need to know right now," Videl smirked, only furthering Gohan's confusion. "Your body language and your voice are betraying you; I can see you twitching and sweating. You're a terrible liar, Gohan."  
  
Speechless, Gohan hung his shoulders in defeat. He couldn't truly argue against this girl's logic, but he had to wonder, did women just specialize in reading body language? Erasa was the same way, only she didn't use it to back him into corners.  
  
"Please," He pleaded. "You cannot tell anyone this!"  
  
Videl frowned; she was very eager to blow Gohan's cover. Nothing would make her happier than busting the resident Superman for his vigilante activities. She also remembered the paramedics told her she was propped up against the hovercraft when they found her; Gohan must have done that, to make her easier to find. So he wasn't all bad. However, if he was that desperate, she could take advantage of this easily. "Silence comes at a price, Gohan. So how about I make you an offer you can't refuse?"  
  
Gohan felt a feeling of dread creep up his spine; he could tell Videl wasn't going to let him off easy.  
  
"First, I want you to teach me how to fly, just like you taught Erasa," She sounded, if anything, actually dejected that Gohan showed Erasa something like this and not her as well. "It's not fair if only you two can do it."  
  
"S-Sure," Gohan agreed, deciding not to tell Erasa that nearly everyone he knew was capable of flying. Even his mother showed the ability to stay aloft, if only temporarily.  
  
"Great!" Videl grinned, her first condition being accepted rather easily. "Second...you entering the Tenka'ichi Budōkai six months from now?"  
  
"The Tenka'ichi Budōkai!?" Gohan had only heard about it a few times in stories his dad had told him that came from when he used to be a kid and competed. The Budōkai had been discontinued for some time, so Gohan was surprised to hear they were bringing it back.  
  
"Didn't you know?" Videl asked, smugly. "They're bringing back the old tournament to find out who is the 'Strongest Under The Heavens'!" As a true competitor, the idea of a tournament like this positively excited Videl, and Gohan could sense that. Her  _ki_ , minimal as it was, rose feverishly when she mentioned it; the thought of competing in this tournament made her blood boil. "In their previous two attempts to reinstate the tournament, my dad was the previous champion...before that, I don't know what he looked like, but the champion was a man named Son Goku..."  
  
"Yeah...?" Gohan absolutely hoped Videl wouldn't put two and two together and conclude Gohan was related to Goku, but by this point, he figured his luck with this girl had run out.  
  
"The same family name as you," She said pointedly. "Not many people have family names these days, especially ones living out here. If I had to hazard a guess, I think this Son Goku is your  _dad_. Am I in the ball park?"  
  
"What!? I mean...!" Gohan, not learning from his earlier failed attempts, tried to formulate a lie as quickly as possible. " _Sh-She's too smart..._ "  
  
"Looks like I nailed it!" The girl grinned triumphantly. "So...you're going to enter, aren't you Gohan? This chance is too perfect; the incumbent champion's daughter fighting the previous champion's son! This can be the perfect chance to decide who will be the sole protector of Satan City; you, the Golden Warrior, or myself!"  
  
"N-No thanks!" Gohan refused almost immediately; it wasn't that he didn't enjoy a good fight, that wasn't it. There was always part of him that enjoyed the thrill of battle, even if he kept it hidden. But the idea of fighting, as himself, in front of hundreds of people, at a tournament that would be televised worldwide, didn't sound ideal. "I'm not into this kind of thing."  
  
"If you do~n't, I'll tell everyone that Gohan is the Golden Warrior~" Videl replied, almost sing-song as she knew this simple sentence would make Gohan do what she said.   
  
"....Alright, you win," Gohan sighed, running his hand through his spiked tresses in exasperation. " _What have I gotten myself into now?_ "  
  
"Yay!!" The girl exclaimed, fighting the urge to do a fist pump due to her injured arms. "You're the only one who can give me any competition, this is perfect!" She walked off, her task completed, positively beside herself. "I'll see you in class, Gohan."  
  
"Oh man...a tournament?" Gohan grumbled to himself, standing alone in the empty hallway. "How did I let her rope me into something like this?"  
  
" _A tournament? That sounds like it could be fun! Whaddya say I go too?_ "  
  
Gohan looked all around, trying to find the source of the voice that came to him out of nowhere. He was fairly certain the hall was empty now. Then realization set in. "Wait...that voice out of nowhere...was that...!? Dad!? Is that you!?"  
  
" _It sure is!_ " The ever cheerful voice of Son Goku rang throughout Gohan's head. While the boy couldn't see his father, Goku was communicating with him from the afterlife, through the abilities of the North Kaiō. " _How've you and your mother been, son?"_  
  
Gohan couldn't believe this; after seven years, he could hear his father's voice again. "We've been fine, Dad! How have  _you_  been!?"  
  
" _Pretty good, pretty good,_ " Goku quipped, finding it amusing Gohan would ask a dead man how he's been. " _I'm still dead, though_."  
  
"You just said you're coming to the tournament...can you really do that!?" The teenage Saiyan was nearly at a loss for words.  
  
" _Yeah!_ " Goku was as excited as Gohan was at the thought of being able to see his family again, and not only that, returning to the World of the Living left the possibility of squaring off one-on-one with Gohan or Vegeta. As always, Goku's Saiyan mind could turn anything into a primarily combat-related situation. " _For certain dead souls, we can get one day to visit the World of the Living, and I'll make sure I return for the Budōkai! If you're competing, son, I want in on this too!_ "  
  
"WOOHOO!" Gohan crowed, his voice echoing through the hallway. "This is too good to be true! I'll have to go tell everyone about this, Dad! I know you'll want to see Vegeta and Piccolo at an event like this!"  
  
" _If Vegeta's going to compete too, I can't really pass this up, now can I?_ " Goku replied. " _Well, see you later — at the Budōkai!_ "  
  


* * *

  
The end of the school day arrived, and Gohan and Erasa were among the first two to exit the classroom,  immediately heading to their familiar spot on the roof to get away from Videl and the other members of the class. In private, Gohan was able to explain to Erasa what Goku had told her, and, suffice to say, she was shocked.  
  
"Your dad...is coming back from the dead...for a day!?" She blinked rapidly, as if her brain was working in overdrive to process this breach of the laws that governed the natural world. "And he wants to compete in the Budōkai!? That's great, Gohan!" In a fit of excitement for Gohan's luck, Erasa threw her arms around Gohan, pulling him into a celebratory embrace. "While Videl was a bit... _pushy_...I'm happy this managed to work out for you somehow!"  
  
"I'm going to go tell everyone that Dad's coming back," Gohan gently hugged Erasa back, careful to hold his strength in despite his excitement. "Why don't you come with me? This could be a great chance for you to meet my Dad's friends!"  
  
"I'd love to meet them!" The blonde replied energetically.  
  


* * *

  
 **West City, Capsule Corporation**  
  
"Goku's coming back?" Bulma looked up at her young friend from her kneeling position besides a hovercycle she was constructing, a cigarette in her mouth. Smoking had been a bad habit of Bulma's since early adulthood, but she seemed to have made it semi-regular since Goku's death.   
  
"Yeah, he got a pass to come back from the dead for a single day, and he's going to return to compete in the Budōkai!" Gohan breathed excitedly, while Erasa looked around casually; this was her first time coming to the inside of Capsule Corp., and any normal person would kill for this kind of opportunity.  
  
"Now that I think about it, a similar privilege was granted to your great-grandfather back when Goku and I were kids," Bulma smiled, remembering the tournament Uranai Baba hosted when Goku and her friends needed to find the final remaining Dragon Ball to resurrect Bora, a man who was killed when helping Goku.  "Wonders never cease when the Son family is involved, do they?"  
  
"Kakarot's returning from the Land of the Dead, eh?" Vegeta's gruff voice came from around the corner hallway as he sauntered in, hands in his pockets, with the young Trunks at his heels. This was a new sight to Gohan; Vegeta in casual clothes. He'd only seen it once before, when Vegeta wore a hilarious BAD BOY pink shirt, and bright green pants. It appeared the Saiyan Prince was now in charge of his own wardrobe, as he was wearing a long sleeved blue shirt, and grey sweatpants, in addition to dark black laced-up shoes. "And he's competing in the Budōkai? If both of you are going to compete, I'll go too."  
  
"Even you, Vegeta?" Gohan looked at the Prince of all Saiyans in surprise.   
  
"This'll be a good chance for you, Gohan," Vegeta said pointedly, sharply glaring at the boy in disappointment. "You look out of shape. You've grown soft in these peaceful times; a bit of competition might bring you back up to snuff."  
  
"Are Dad and Gohan going to fight?" Trunks asked excitedly.  
  
"So, Gohan, who's the girl you brought with?" Bulma asked curiously, gesturing to Erasa, who was examining a silver, spiraling sphere with multiple rings around it; one of Bulma's recent inventions, it was perched on a nearby shelf, and Erasa inspected it with innocent curiosity.   
  
"Uh...she's..." Gohan wasn't sure what to explain to Bulma; she hadn't met Erasa just yet.  
  
"My name's Erasa. I'm a friend of his from childhood," Erasa offered helpfully, feeling Gohan's stuttering even with her back turned. "He and I go back quite a ways, and we met back up when we entered high school."  
  
"Oh, I see," Bulma shot Gohan a knowing smile; it was quite clear she was no fool to the two's relationship.  
  
"That goes quite a long way towards explaining your lackadaisical attitude," Vegeta snapped in irritation. "I expected better of you, Gohan."  
  
"Uh...well..." Gohan had nothing to say in reply; he couldn't deny Vegeta had a point, but Gohan had a life to live. He wasn't like Vegeta or Goku, content to spent his entire life in training.  
  
"Why don't you go tell Krillin next?" Bulma intervened before Vegeta could say anything worse. "I'm sure he'll love this!"  
  
"Yeah!" Gohan agreed, eager for a chance to get himself and Erasa away from Vegeta's permanent scowl.  
  


* * *

  
 **Kame Island, Kame House**  
  
"Goku!? Really!?" Krillin exclaimed after Gohan's explanation of the news his father had given him. Krillin — who now sported a full head of hair, as he stopped shaving after the fighting had stopped — was utterly shocked to received such news.   
  
"That sister of mine," Master Rōshi chuckled to himself, surprised Baba was doing something like this without gaining anything in return. He could only assume she was getting a handsome sum of money in return for bringing Goku back to life, or she wouldn't bother to do it herself. "That boy never ceases to surprise me. We haven't seen him in ages."  
  
"M-Maybe I'll enter as well," Krillin folded his arms, muttering to himself, obviously referring to the tournament. "But with Goku, Gohan, and Vegeta all entering, how can I even hope to win?"  
  
"Come on, Krillin, try it!" Gohan urged. "The top five contestants all win prize money!"  
  
"How  _much_  money?" Android 18 inquired sharply.   
  
"Let's see..." Gohan scratched his head, trying to recall the figures. "The winner, ten million Zeni, second place, five million, third place, three, fourth place, two, and fifth place, an even million."  
  
"Do it, Krillin!" Android 18, spurred on by the thought of the winnings and finally being able to move off this island — and thus moving as far away from Master Rōshi as was humanly possible — demanded. "I'll enter too!"  
  
"I-I guess..." Krillin replied, obviously at his wife's beck and call.  
  
"I'll come observe," Rōshi concluded. "Watching you youngsters go at it in the ring, that sure takes me back."   
  
"Don't tell Piccolo, Gohan," Krillin suggested, suddenly recalling the Namekian might also be participating. "It'd be really difficult for me to make it to the top five if he's competing too!"  
  
"Aw, I can't do that Krillin!" Gohan replied, eager as he was to see Piccolo again. "Speaking of that, we should be heading there next. Erasa, let's go!" Saying their good-byes, the two lifted off into the air and out of sight.  
  
" _That boy..._ " Rōshi watched Gohan and Erasa fly off into the distance, smiling a smile of satisfaction. " _I can tell he's training that girl in martial arts...he's stepping into his father's shoes well. Sacrificing yourself wasn't in vain, Goku — your son is growing into a fine young man himself._ "  
  


* * *

  
 **Kami's Lookout**  
  
"Goku is returning to compete in the Budōkai? A prospect most intriguing," Piccolo folded his arms, a thin smile crossing his face at the idea of competing with his old rival in the Budōkai once more. Unlike his pupil that stood before him, Piccolo had not slacked off in seven years of peace; having learned from Kami's mistake, Piccolo had remained ever vigilant in watching the Earth with Dende, and ever persistent in increasing his training regimen. "I'll be there, Gohan. It's been far too long since your father and I have had the chance at serious competition."  
  
"Awesome!" Gohan grinned, excited at the prospect of seeing Piccolo in action again. "What about you, Dende?"  
  
The Guardian of Earth, the replacement for Kami, had grown very much in the seven years since the Cell Saga. Not quite up to Piccolo's physical build, due to Namekians age, often taking centuries to reach the same physical build as an adult human, depending on the situation in which they find themselves, Dende was still a few heads shorter than his Saiyan friend, but he finally looked the part of a God of Earth. His staff held tightly in his hands, he shook his head in a polite refusal.   
  
"No thanks, Gohan," The Namekian replied. "Some Namekians are warriors, and others are healers; I'm not fit for a tournament like this."  
  
"You know, Gohan," Erasa began, slightly nervous at interjecting between the conversation Gohan was having with these strange men. "I might enter this tournament as well. I can't say I'll be a real match for any of you, but it might be a good way to test my skills."  
  
"That's a great idea, Erasa!" Gohan was surprised they hadn't considered the possibility earlier. Sure, Erasa might not win, but it would be a good way to see the fruits of her hard work.   
  
" _This girl...she isn't a normal human...I can feel the beginnings of a tapped well of power_." Piccolo analyzed Erasa with a sharp look, which might have seemed off-putting and even threatening to the girl, had she been paying attention. "Gohan, is this girl your student?"  
  
"Huh?" Gohan was taken aback by the sudden question, looking at Piccolo in confusion; he hadn't expected Piccolo to pick up on that at all. "Yeah, you could say that. I've started teaching Erasa the basics of  _ki_ , and her training is going to expand starting tomorrow."  
  
"I see," Piccolo smiled, looking at Gohan as a proud father would to his son,and placed a hand on Gohan's shoulder, firmly gripping it. "I've known you since you were a boy, Gohan. To see you standing here, not just as a man but as a teacher as well? I'm proud to have once been called a master by you.."  
  
Gohan stared in awe at Piccolo for the longest time. Rarely had Piccolo given out any form of compliments to anybody, even as a boy he heard them far and between. To hear such words come from his first martial art teacher caused a bright smile harking back to his childhood. Being the respectful man he was, though, he'd quickly bow to Piccolo, as a student would to his master, "Thank you, Piccolo!"  
  
With all the details given to everyone of importance, Gohan and Erasa took off from the Lookout, flying back down towards the Earth.   
  
"I think, if we're going to properly train for this competition, we'll need to take some time off from school," Erasa said as the two descended towards the surface before pulling up into a level flight path. "I think my dad would be okay with it, if I tell him about the prize money involved; he's always wanted me to get some kind of scholarship anyway and this would be an easy chance, if I win."  
  
"Mom's the same way, actually," Gohan chuckled to himself, imagining how simple it would be to convince his mother to let him train for this tournament once he mentioned the prize money involved. "So, I'll see you tomorrow then? First thing in the morning?"  
  
"First thing in the morning," Erasa replied, smiling as both of them turned to fly in the opposite direction towards their homes.   
  


* * *

  
 **East District 439, Base of Mount Paozu, Son Residence; Later That Night  
  
** "What!?" Chi-Chi shrieked, her very voice nearly rattling the Son household. "Goku's coming back for a day to compete in the Budōkai!? Why didn't you tell me sooner!?"  
  
The two sons of Goku watched their mother shriek like a maniac before she settled down, absolutely ecstatic with the situation. "Isn't that great, Goten!? You'll get to meet your Daddy for a day!"  
  
Goten, who remained fairly clueless as to what was going on, looked up from his ricebowl at his mother in bewilderment, but said nothing. If she was excited, meeting his Dad had to be a good thing, right?  
  
"The dead don't age, do they?!" Chi-Chi ran her hands along her face, fussing now about her appearance. "And I've gotten so old, oh no! Why didn't I go to more spas!? How many years has it been now? Seven!?"  
  
Gohan simply watched as his mother continued to chatter, eating quietly deciding he had to break his silence. "Hey Mom, can I compete in the tournament as well? The top five contestants all win prize money, so if I win, it'll be like receiving a large scholarship. The first prize is ten million zeni, the second place is five million—"  
  
"Ten million zeni!?" Chi-Chi exclaimed, thrusting her hands down onto the wooden table, causing all the dishes to shake and clatter. "Gohan, you've  _got_  to enter this thing! That's fifteen million between you and your Dad!"  
  
"You know there's no guarantee I'll wi—" Gohan began but his mother cut him off.  
  
"Oh please!" She waved a finger at Gohan. "One of you is going to win for sure! You can catch up on your schoolwork later, I want you to train hard for this!"  
  
Gohan breathed a huge sigh of relief, relieved that all he really did need was to mention the prize money and he was able to get this discussion to go the way he wanted without having it boil over into an argument. With Chi-Chi making an offhand comment about the money that her father, the Ox-King, would periodically send was running out, Gohan turned to his younger brother.  
  
"Hey Goten, why don't you help me with my training, starting tomorrow?" The older hybrid asked, despite knowing how eager Goten would be that he was finally taking the boy up on his offer to train with him. "While I get Erasa's own regiment started, I could use a powerful sparring partner!"  
  
"Sure!!" The boy ecstatically agreed.   
  
From this moment on, for the next six months, the Z-Fighters and martial artists from all around the world would begin their training with the hopes of only one thing in mind: to be crowned the "Strongest Under The Heavens"!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Whoo boy! Finally finished chapter seven and I have to admit it's looking pretty fine! I'm sorry it took quite awhile to get out, but this is a very important chapter (hence the name of it), and there were several things I had to make sure I did right, so as not to get a bad reaction. One thing I liked best about this chapter; I got a week done in one chapter. The slow progress of time in my story was a personal gripe of mine, but that's been fixed with this chapter! Also, before anyone in the comments mentions Chi-Chi can't fly, in the anime, Goku and Chi-Chi's fight had a cool extension where they fought in the air. So I mentioned that as a throwaway line.
> 
> So, as per the usual, I should explain the punny names I came up with for these minor characters. The two noisy students were named "Kuzetsu" (口舌) which quite literally means "tongue" but can also mean "talking recklessly", and Jōgen (冗言) which quite simply means "chatter". This refers to their nature as talkative students (though the class at large is like this). The two criminals, Zain and Bōmono, both come from Japanese words that refer to criminals. Zain comes from the word "zainin" (罪人) and literally means "criminal" or "sinner". It can also double as a pun for "vain", which would fit a criminal. Bōmono comes from the word ranbōmono (乱暴者) and literally means "thug".
> 
> So, as you can see, this chapter is setting the stage for the upcoming parts of the series; Goku's return, the Tenka'ichi Budōkai, and Gohan and Erasa's first kiss, which sets the stage for their relationship to evolve. I loved writing this chapter, even though it took quite awhile, and some things were changed and altered when new ideas hit me; always a glorious feeling. While I try not to take three weeks to do a chapter, I like to give it my all, and my life, with friends, family, my job, and just trying to find some "me" time during all of it, does tend to hamper my writing progress to a degree, but I promise I will try to bring you the best quality writing as quickly as I can! And hey, I got this chapter out before August, so I'm happy with it!
> 
> Sorry I rambled on here; stay tuned, everyone, for the next exciting chapter of The Erased Chronicles! I'm glad I made this one more eventful like I promised, and I ensure the next chapter, while it will be a little more peaceful, will deliver well! And, as always, let's thank my friend Mangetsu20, who is a big help in both brainstorming and proofreading!


	8. The Wall of Humanity

"I have to admit, I'm very surprised you came to me, Gohan," Master Rōshi was standing outside the Kame House, his trademark shades glinting in the sunlight as he stroked his snow-white beard. "I would have expected you to seek Piccolo's wisdom, given he was your teacher."  
  
Early in the morning, Gohan flew towards Kame House to seek Master Rōshi's advice for how to handle his attempt at furthering Erasa's training, and to his relief, Rōshi had agreed to give him advice. Standing off to the side of the screen door was Android 18, who had a keen eye locked on Master Rōshi.   
  
"Normally, I would," Gohan admitted sheepishly, having hoped Rōshi wouldn't have assumed Gohan was treating him as the 'last resort option'. "But I wanted to use training methods a human body can take; Piccolo really is a great teacher, but his methods might kill Erasa."  
  
Rōshi chuckled to himself, agreeing completely with Gohan. "A tournament in eight months...that really does bring back memories of when I trained your father and Krillin for their first tournament," The hermit's beard twitched with a smile at the memories; even to this day, Goku didn't know that his greatest opponent in his tournament début — a man named Jackie Chun — had been him.   
  
"Alright, listen carefully, because I will only say this once," Rōshi instructed firmly.  
  
"I'm listening," Gohan nodded, giving the Kame Sennin his full and undivided attention.  
  
"I've lived far longer than you can imagine, and my teacher, Master Mutaito taught me the essence of Ki control many years ago." Rōshi leaned on the staff in his heads, straightening the sunglasses that adorned his face. "It's impressive, from what you told me, how far Erasa has come. But her body is weak and that means her volume of energy to draw upon is low. In order to build up Ki you must build up the body past the limits it has, and then surpass them. Once you know what her limits are, make sure to tell her to push harder, and tell her she's much stronger than she believes herself to be. When she has reached this point, she will breach the limiter that is called the 'Wall of Humanity'."  
  
Gohan nodded as he listened along to Rōshi's sage words.  
  
The aged teacher continued, pleased to finally have someone other than Krillin who understood what he was saying, "Another thing that is important is that meditation is key for harmonizing one's spirit. Ki is formed out of harmony with the mind and body, which in turn causes the spirit to become one with yourself. Make sure you teach her the meditation techniques that Piccolo and your father has taught you. It is key that she learns to harmonize her core, it is the best way I know how that she can hope to break through the limits of her human capacity."  
  
"Got it!" Gohan's entire face lit up with understanding, smacking his fist onto the flatside of his palm. "I think I know what you mean, Master Rōshi!"  
  
"You better!" Rōshi replied, relaxing from the serious discussion they'd just finished. "I forgot half of what I just said!"  
  
In shock, Gohan almost comedically fell backwards, looking at Rōshi in disbelief, while the aged master simply broke out into raucous laughter.  
  
"I'm just messing with ya," He waved dismissively, still laughing.  
  
"Oh..." Gohan blinked in surprise, a weak laugh escaping his throat.  
  
"But in all seriousness," Rōshi stared intently at Gohan, his sunshades glinting in the morning sunlight, peering in far too close for Gohan's own personal comfort. "Make sure you take good pictures of her poses and bring them to me!"  
  
Gohan stared at the venerable master in exasperation, almost finding it difficult to believe this man was his father's first teacher. "...You....you have no shame, do you...?"  
  
"Haven't had that for centuries!" Rōshi replied, breaking out into a fit of laughter once again, only to be quickly interrupted by a firm smack from Android 18, which sent the elderly teacher skipping across the ocean like a stone.   
  
"He never learns," The cyborg muttered in exasperation.  
  
Incredibly, the man recovered almost instantly, swimming back towards the shore, straightening his now crooked sunglasses. "Before you go, Gohan, I'll detail to you my own patented methods of training — the true Turtle School style. Additionally, while the mountains where you and your family live might be ideal for your own kind of training, I recommend moving temporarily to an island south of here where I trained Goku and Krillin."   
  
Convincing Chi-Chi of that might be easier said than done, but Gohan simply nodded in agreement while Master Rōshi gave him specific training methods, and, additionally, equipment to use during Erasa's training. Simply stowing it all away in a Capsule, Gohan gave Rōshi his thanks, before flying off towards Mount Paozu's East District 439.  
  


* * *

  
 **Satan City, District 666, Erasa's Home; Erasa's Room** **  
  
**"A training island south of the main continent?" It was only an hour after Gohan had met with Master Rōshi that he contacted Erasa to inform her of their training arrangements, and Erasa was shocked to hear the training would be taking place on an island so far away.  
  
" _Yeah_ ," Gohan's voice came through the receiver, and Erasa found herself pleased to hear the sound. " _I already mentioned it to Mom, and it took about half an hour to actually get her to be receptive to the idea. She's never been one for having neighbors, which is why we live way out in the mountains._ "  
  
Erasa suddenly felt a small bit of dread hit her stomach like a falling stone. Convincing her father to let her temporarily relocate to an island far south of the mainland was going to be far more difficult than asking him to allow her to compete in the tournament — which, mercifully, he had allowed.   
  
" _Will you be able to make it?_ " Gohan asked tentatively, noting the girl's awkward silence.  
  
"Let me talk to Dad about it," Erasa replied. "I'll call you back when I have his response."  
  
" _Alright,_ " Gohan replied, equally nervous as the two hung up the line.   
  
The blonde girl collapsed onto her bed, running her hand through her hair as she sighed. Given today was the first day of training, Erasa had already called off school, and all that remained was convincing her father to let her go train with Gohan.   
  
The girl idled around for several hours while she waited for Marque to return to the house, doing things a typical teenager would do, sitting around watching television, as well as dabbling in a few video games. Erasa frowned as she watched the clock tick; she hadn't expected to have to twiddle her thumbs here. If she'd known getting to her training with Gohan was going to take an extra day, she'd have simply gone to school. Leaning back against the frame of her bed, she heard a distance voice from downstairs, and footsteps coming up the flight towards her door.   
  
"I'm in here, Dad!" Erasa called out, and she heard the doorknob turn.  
  
Marque stepped slightly into the partially opened doorway, knocking on it with a smile. "May I come in?"  
  
Erasa smiled herself as she rolled her eyes. "Yes Dad, you have my permission."  
  
"So glad to have it." Marque pushed the door open all the way, greeting his daughter halfway across the room with a warm hug and an exchange of pats to the back, which Erasa returned, albeit halfheartedly. Releasing his hold on his daughter, Marque furrowed his brow, looking at her pensively. "Something on your mind that you want to tell me?"  
  
Erasa smiled nervously, thinking to herself, " _That's my dad for ya. Always able to tell when something is bothering me_." She took a deep breath, in and out, "Yes, dad, there was something I wanted to talk about."  
  
"Alright," Marque cocked his eyebrow up with a wry smile. "Should I be sitting down, or you?"  
  
Erasa walked back to her bed, patting the spot next to her. "Both."  
  
Marque heaved a heavy sigh as he sat down next to his daughter, clasping his hands in an entwining fashion. He'd only noticed now that he'd yet to see the changes Erasa had made to room, always busy with work, and took that moment of silence to admire the changes she'd made. In just a short time, the room had lost the childish feel it had; the wave and cloud patterns on the walls and ceilings, and childish memories all seemed to be put away, he had to assume in boxes in a closet. Where waves and clouds had dominated the walls, Marque now recognized a wallpaper his wife had purchased several years ago — Tranquil Grey, as the catalog had called it — an all white-wall paper with grey-flower patterns. The childish toys she owned had been replaced by a shelf of books. The only things Erasa hadn't removed entirely from the room besides her own bed was her Largehard computer, and the giant stuffed bear she'd brought home seven years ago. He turned his head towards Erasa, looking at her with an inquisitive smile.  
  
"Well," Erasa bit her lower lip, turning her gaze towards the window instead of meeting Marque's eyes. "Remember when I asked you if I could participate in the Tenka'ichi Budōkai?"  
  
"Yeah?" Marque furrowed his brow as he recalled their conversation from just last night. "What's the matter? You aren't getting cold feet so soon, are you?"  
  
Erasa turned back towards Marque, her eyes wide, waving her hands insistently. "Oh no! In fact, it's the kind of the opposite!" She clasped her hands together, glancing side to side, before letting out a resigned exhale. "For the tournament...I kind of...need to be away from home for awhile. For my training, you see?"  
  
It took only seconds for Mark to process what his daughter had said, and at first, the most he could get out was a small "Oh...".   
  
Father and daughter looked at each other in silence, before Marque broke the ice.  
  
"Allow me to understand what you're telling me," Marque turned to fully face her with hands on his lap. "This tournament, a martial arts tournament, is so important you need to physically leave home and devote nearly all of your time to training?"  
  
Erasa twiddled her fingers as she looked down at her own lap, kicking her feet gently on the carpeted floor. "It's not like school is an object; we handled it yesterday, and the revitalization of the tournament is such a big thing that Mr. Satan himself is convincing the schools in our district to allow the teenagers to compete if they make the choice; he says he wants some kind of competition from the younger generation."  
  
Marque had to agree with his daughter on this; the school angle had been covered, but the idea of her leaving home for six months to train was still a bit of a stretch. The man sighed to himself, rubbing his face and chuckled, knowing his daughter, just like her mother, would have covered any possible angle before even mentioning this to him.  
  
" So...this training," Marque continued to rub his chin expectantly as he arched a brow up at her direction, "this wouldn't happen to involve a boy, would it?"  
  
Erasa's face flushed a bright crimson and she turned back towards Marque to wave her hands defensively. "N-No, I-!"  
  
Marque, however, raise his hands up to cut the girl off mid-sentence. "I may not be home that often, Erasa, but I do check in at your school. Some of your classmates' parents do work with me at the office, if you remember. They say you've been rekindling a friendship with this boy from the "boonies"?"  
  
"It's not like what you think!" Erasa swung her hands down insistently, clapping her own legs. "Gohan's a nice, thoughtful, and very good friend of mine. We haven't been doing anything you wouldn't approve of. In fact, he's the one who opened my eyes to look forward and not keep being in the past! "  
  
Marque's eyes widened, and he took the time to examine the room again, carefully examining the changes Erasa had made and only now realizing the cause of it.  
  
"He's helped me move on, just as I am helping him," Erasa smiled, placing a hand over her heart. "He's the one that's encouraged me to become a better person. And I see myself becoming that person by studying martial arts. I want to be stronger, dad!"  
  
"Because of what happened to Videl?" Marque asked in a knowing tone.  
  
"Yes!" Erasa breathed. "Especially because what happened to Videl!"  
  
Marque rubbed his hands on his knees as his brown eyes fell to the floor, causing the room to go silent; he then turned to look at her, seriously staring at the girl's determined expression. "Is this what you really want? Do you believe this will be the best route for you to take?"  
  
The blonde girl thoughtfully looked to the side and then out the window, noticing the a small cloud flowing up in the sky; her thoughts turn to Kinto'un and the time she's spent with Gohan, and the things she's learned. Erasa then turned to stare at her father, determined blue eyes meeting uncertain brown ones, and she nodded. "Yes."  
  
"Okay then," Marque smiled with a slow nod. "When are you leaving?"  
  
"Tomorrow..."  
  
"Then let me see you off and meet this young man who's training my daughter,"  Marque smiled widely, winking at his daughter. "It's the least I should do before letting you be whisked off and away from home."  
  
"Oh thank you, daddy!" Erasa flung her arms around her father's neck in her excitement.   
  
"Anything for you, sweetie," Marque wrapped his arms around her, kissing the top of her head- Just know I want the best for you. If I don't approve, don't think I won't change my mind."  
  
"I know," The blonde girl giggled as she released her hold of her father. "Trust me, Gohan's not anything you'd expect."  
  
"Well...we'll see, now won't we?"   
  


* * *

  
 **Open Air Between Satan City and East District 439; The Next Morning**  
  
Flying along the heavily forested skyline, Gohan was making his way towards Satan City. Erasa called the day previous, and told him that her father had given the okay for her six-month stay with the teenage Saiyan so they could train for the Tenka'ichi Budōkai. Normally, this would have been great news, but Erasa told him there was a catch, and it made his heart plummet towards his stomach like a falling stone.  
  
Her father, Marque, wanted to meet him.  
  
The very idea made him nervous; he didn't even know how to begin introducing himself to Marque, but in an effort to make a good impression, Gohan had tried to look as casual as possible. He'd donned a white shirt emblazoned with the characters "飯道", simple blue jeans, and red and white laced up sneakers. He could only hope that he wasn't appearing to be too casual.  
  
The familiar skyline of Satan City came into view and then quickly vanished as Gohan flew right into the city. Normally, he'd be heading towards Orange Star High School, but today, and every day for the next six months, would be focused on the training for the Tenka'ichi Budōkai.  
  
As Erasa's home came within his line of sight, Gohan descended to the ground, landing neatly onto the pavement. Walking towards the front door, he stopped dead, breathing slowly. Gently, he rapped on the blue-painted wooden door, and after a moment of silence — and much to Gohan's relief — it was Erasa who opened the door, smiling at Gohan.  
  
"Gohan, you made it!" She smiled, though Gohan could see in her warm blue eyes that she was nervous as well. Stepping across the threshold, Erasa pulled Gohan in closer, wrapping her arms around him. Mildly surprised, Gohan reciprocated, and the two were locked in a simple embrace as they smiled at each other, their worries seemed to melt away, completely ignorant to the fact that their minor display of affection was in public viewing.  
  
"So....how nervous are you?" Erasa breathed, her voice soft in Gohan's ear.  
  
"More than you can imagine," Gohan replied dryly, though he couldn't help but feel at ease with his arms wrapped around this girl, her familiar scent — a strange mixture of fruit scented conditioner and rose scented shampoo — assailing him at the same time as he thought this.  
  
As the two broke apart, Erasa finally took a moment to look over Gohan's attire. "Well don't you look sharp," She smiled, running a thin finger along his shirt. She slipped her hand into his, pulling him back over the threshold of the house. "Come on, let's not keep my dad waiting."  
  
This wasn't Gohan's first time in Erasa's home, but her father didn't know this. And, true to form, the house was as quaint as he remembered it. As soon as the Saiyan stepped into the home, he was assailed with the sweet scent of the house, one that matched Erasa's, and yet another scent, slightly familiar, but far stronger than he remembered it; sweet and bitter at the same time, with the aroma of salt and pepper. As he recalled, this was the scent of Erasa's father.  
  
Erasa led Gohan by the hand into the family room — a room he'd seen only in passing before on the way up to Erasa's room — and he tried not to show any hint of recognition on his face. Upon entering the family room and tearing his eyes away from the now familiar furnishings, Gohan saw a middle-aged man with pale blonde hair, a thick moustache, and kind brown eyes sitting at ease on one of the sofas that saw itself sitting across from the television. Gohan and Erasa sat themselves on the sofa that sat adjacent to it, and there was an awkward silence; Gohan could only equate this feeling to the police interrogations he'd seen in passing on the crime dramas Chi-Chi would occasionally watch.  
  
"So you're the Gohan I've heard so much about?" Marque gruffly broke the silence, giving Gohan a stern eye that made the boy's discomfort, if anything, worse. While Marque didn't have the scent of hostility around him that would make a Saiyan's hairs stand on end, he had the stare of someone who looked through a person rather than at them — a stark contrast to the warm gaze he reserved for his daughter.  
  
"Y-Yes, sir!" Gohan replied stiffly, his nervousness rushing back in full force.   
  
"You do look very much like Erasa's descriptions of you," Marque noted, Gohan's earnestness causing the man to form a thin smile. "Though I would have expected her martial arts teacher to arrive in something a little more traditional; I wasn't expecting casual wear. Though I do admit, I like your shirt."  
  
"T-Thank you, sir," Gohan laughed nervously. "Those who study martial arts don't always wear their training  _gi_  as casual wear, so I donned casual wear for the occasion."  
  
"That makes a fair amount of sense," Marque rubbed his chin, agreeing with the alien teenager. "So, young man, if you don't mind my asking, would you mind telling me just when you met my daughter?"  
  
Realizing the true interrogation was about to begin, Gohan inhaled deeply, bracing himself entirely. "I met her seven years ago, sir. Right before the Cell Games, when I came to visit Satan City, to get the taste of city life. Of course, this was back when it was still called Orange Star City. She really bailed me out of a jam when we met."  
  
"You just looked so helpless, I really couldn't help but come to your rescue," Erasa chimed in, smiling as Gohan laughed at her outburst.  
  
"Did I really look so out of place?" inquired Gohan, unable to believe he'd been quite so oblivious looking.  
  
"Like a sore thumb," The blonde teased, and the two had to stifle their own laughter.  
  
Marque, however, cleared his throat, getting the attention of the couple once more.  
  
"That's good, that answers my question," Marque nodded curtly. "But if that was a one-time occasion, how did you become reacquainted with my daughter? I really do apologize for all of these questions, and I usually give Erasa far more leeway than this in her own personal relations with others at school."  
  
Gohan had to fight a nervous flinch at this one — both he and Erasa had agreed to not inform Marque of his escapades as the Golden Warrior. However, he didn't feel comfortably lying completely to Marque, and Erasa always said Gohan was a terrible liar. Letting out an exasperated sigh, Gohan decided to give Marque a edited version of events.   
  
"I guess you could say I'm a vigilante," Gohan explained briefly. "Similar to Videl, actually. I help fight crime in Satan City, though when I arrived, I tried to do everything under the radar. Erasa, however, caught onto me fairly quickly, and ever since, she's been trying to help me balance my crime fighting duties with my school life. Your daughter has really been a huge help."  
  
"Gohan was also the one who saved Videl last week," Erasa offered helpfully.  
  
Marque's eyes widened; this boy was the one who'd saved Mark's daughter from that horrible situation? For a teenager, that was definitely impressive to pull off.   
  
"It wasn't really anything as dramatic as that," Gohan immediately tried to keep Erasa from saying anything else, knowing she'd try and spin it into some tale of grandeur that Marque would be better off not hearing. "I've just been raised to help people; it's what my Dad would have done, and I'm no different."  
  
Not only impressive but humble as well. For a kid in this day and age, Marque knew that was difficult to come by. "Alright, let me ask you my final question," Marque said, much to Gohan's relief. "How have you and my daughter been spending your time together? I'm not entirely oblivious to the fact that you and Erasa have been spending almost every free moment together."  
  
"Recently, we've been devoting most of our time to Erasa's training," Gohan explained casually, becoming more at ease as this continued. "But I've also taken to showing Erasa around the countryside, given how far away I live; basically, quite a bit of sightseeing mixed in with Erasa's own training."  
  
"I see, I see," Marque murmured, taking in everything Gohan said. The three fell quiet as the father stared intently at Gohan, mulling everything over in his head. He couldn't deny that this Gohan was a good kid; humble, earnest, and a politeness that isn't normally seen in teenagers nowadays.   
  
" _They talk and act like they've known each other for years,_ " The middle-aged man thought to himself, his stern stare still focused entirely on Gohan. Marque could remember a time when he once acted like Erasa and Gohan were, so many years ago when he and Quile were younger.  
  
The silence returned the air of nervousness to both Gohan and Erasa; what was Marque thinking? Neither of them could read it based on his stone-faced expression, and the two gulped simultaneously.  
  
Breaking the ice after a few minutes, Marque finally spoke again. "I've decided; Erasa, you can go train with Gohan for the six months before the Budōkai begins."  
  
While relief washed over both Gohan and Erasa, it was mixed in with another emotion: surprise.  
  
"You're serious?" Gohan croaked, his voice cracking from the slight underuse it'd been experiencing.  
  
"I'm serious," Marque replied, and his stern expression now broke into a very warm smile. "I feel I can trust you, Gohan, with the well-being of my daughter. Listening to you answer my questions showed me you're well-meaning and humble; you know how to respect other people, and I can tell you were raised right. And besides," He turned to his daughter this time, who was positively beaming with happiness at her father's answer. "If I told you no, Erasa, Quile would be out for my blood."  
  
"T-Thank you, sir!" Gohan cried, beaming much like Erasa was.  
  
"Thank you, daddy!" Erasa got up, wrapping her dad into a hug, which he returned, chuckling.  
  
"Would you mind, Erasa, if I came to visit during those six months?" Marque inquired to his ecstatic daughter.  
  
"Of course I wouldn't mind!" Erasa replied, and this gave Marque a feeling of relief. So long as he could still see Erasa, she wouldn't seem quite so far away.  
  
"If everything's settled, I think we should head back now," Gohan didn't want to interrupt them, but with his mother, time was   
of essence. "My mother wasn't too keen to make the move down to Elche Island in the first place, and I think if we take any longer, she's going to wring my neck."  
  
"You heard him, we have to go now," Erasa broke the embrace with her father as she returned to Gohan's side. "I'll be seeing you real soon, Dad, don't hesitate to come and visit!"  
  
"Make me proud, Erasa," Marque replied, smiling. "I want to have something to see when I come watch you compete in the Budōkai!"  
  


* * *

  
 **East District 439; Son Residence, The Next Morning**  
  
"Thanks for letting me sleep in your room, Chi-Chi," Erasa stifled a yawn as the two women filed into the kitchen, waiting on Gohan and Goten so they could head over to Elche Island.  
  
"Don't mention it, Erasa," The ebony-haired mother waved it off, smiling. "It's not like I'd have you sleep on a couch or something."  
  
"Awake already?" Gohan asked, walking into the kitchen from around the corner, already dressed in his standard training  _gi,_ with Goten trailing behind him, wearing a  _gi_  that highly resembled Goku's. Like most of the siblings outfits, Chi-Chi had sewn this  _gi_  herself, in an attempt to replicate Goku's image in her youngest child.  
  
"Good morning, you two," Chi-Chi greeted her children as she was fetching herself a warm mug of coffee.  
  
"Good morning, Mom, Erasa," Gohan smiled in Erasa's direction, who returned the smile happily. "I was thinking we could actually head to Elche now. Flying there was be easiest, so, Mom, if you capsulize the entire house, I can carry you there."  
  
"That would go faster," Chi-Chi agreed, sipping her coffee. She'd been thinking of taking a boat, but if Gohan could fly her there, that would definitely make getting to the island less of a chore.   
  
"Um...I can't fly," Goten admitted, tugging on Gohan's  _obi_  to get his attention. "That won't be fair if you all fly and I get left here, Gohan!"  
  
"You can't...fly?" Gohan looked at his younger brother in exasperation. Having learned to fly from Piccolo at the tender age of four, the art was something Gohan took for granted, and unconsciously come to expect everyone to be able to perform. Given Goten was stronger than Gohan ever was at his age, it naturally followed, to the hybrid-Saiyan, that Goten would have picked up flying someone, even if only from Trunks.  
  
"Are you making fun of me, Gohan?" Goten inquired, puffing his cheeks out indignation, and act Erasa considered made Goten quite adorable. "I feel like you're making fun of me!"  
  
"N-No, not at all!" Gohan waved his hands insistently, backing away faster than a car out of a driveway. "Tell you what, you can ride Kinto'un on the way to the island, alright?"  
  
The younger hybrid agreed, and within minutes, the Son Family and Erasa stood outside as Chi-Chi pressed a button at the side of the home — a modification added by Bulma sometime after the Cell Game — and the house, with a large puff of smoke and noise, reverted to a Hoi-Poi Capsule.  
  
"And just like that, we're packed," Chi-Chi said cheerfully, pocketing the Capsule as Gohan lifted her up with ease, and proceeded to rise into the air, followed by Erasa, who was still slightly slower than Gohan was at lifting off.   
  
"Kinto'un!" Goten called out for the heirloom cloud of the Son family, which quickly pelted their way, landing next to the miniature Saiyan.   
  
"I think it's excited, Gohan," Erasa observed, realizing Kinto'un was probably feeling very put out ever since Erasa had learned to fly and both she and Gohan had stopped using the cloud in exchange for flying to school.  
  
Goten clambered onto the cloud, slipping off and landing on his rear, before scrambling back up and successfully boarding the cloud the second time.  
  
"I don't think Kinto'un is the only excited one," Gohan replied, smiling at Goten's overeagerness. "Alright, let's go!"  
  


Without wasting further time, the group of four tore out across the land, flying until they saw the ocean, and merely pushed on, seawater rushing past them in a trail of cool spray as the group flew full force towards their new training grounds. Passing Kame House, Gohan and Goten waved at Krillin, who was training along the beach, before they saw nothing but blue water once more.

After flying for another twenty minutes, a plume of smoke billowed from over the horizon, quickly followed by the peak of a volcano. Within seconds, the rest of the island had filled out the group's vision and Erasa was among the first to gasp. Having lived on the mainland for so long, and the only island she associated with the word being Kame House, Erasa was very shocked to see such a densely populated island out in the middle of the ocean.

"This is Elche Island?" She breathed in amazement, her sapphire orbs shining with wonder.

"The only one," Gohan replied, smiling at Erasa's easily excitable nature. "My dad and his best friend trained here, and this is where Master Rōshi  suggested we do our training."

"It's...well, wonderful," Erasa finished lamely, unable to find any other word to describe it. The island itself seemed like its own little world; with a populated portion akin to a small village, a volcanic mountainous region, and even a dense forest jungle, Erasa noted that she wouldn't be surprised if there was a gigantic turtle supporting this island from under the murky depths of the ocean.

"Gohan, there are a lot of other houses here!" Goten exclaimed, looking at the island with as much awe as Erasa.

"According to Master Rōshi, about 300 people live on this island," Gohan explained. "You'll be seeing more than this if you explore later."

Beginning their descent, the group picked a fairly empty plot of land, closer to the jungle than most inhabitants were comfortable with making a living. The moment Gohan set her down, Chi-Chi pulled out the Hoi-Poi Capsule that contained the Son Family home, and, clicking the device, chucked it and watched it explode in a puff of smoke, revealing their spherical home once more.

"The joys of modern technology," Chi-Chi let out a relieved sigh. "No need to pack, just capsulize everything and you're on your way!" She sounded like a quick commercial jingle, and Gohan assumed she was quoting one. "Why don't you three begin your training now, since we're finally here?" The housewife suggested, as she made her way to the front door. "I'm going to go try and meet our new neighbors."

"That sounds like a plan," Gohan agreed.

 

* * *

 

"Alright, it's time to begin your first training exercise!" Gohan was standing directly in front of Erasa, who had changed into standard white training gi, the kind she'd used whilst sparring with Videl. Goten was standing next to Erasa, as none of the training she would undergo would benefit the younger Saiyan in any way; he was simply waiting for his time to train with Gohan.

"What will I be doing for training, Gohan?" Erasa asked curiously; she'd attended several martial arts training sessions with Videl before deciding to simply give up and go her own way, but she had a feeling Gohan's training methods would be most unorthodox. 

"Today will just be the basics," The older Saiyan explained in response to the question. "The training methods I'm using to teach you were the ones my father's teacher used to teach him martial arts; my entire family uses the Turtle School style of combat, and it started with Master Rōshi. Admittedly, my style is a bit different from how Dad and Mom fight, but it's got its basis in the same school of training."

"What I'm going to start you with is a basic assessment," Gohan pointed towards a very large boulder in the distance. "See that boulder? It's exactly 100 meters from here to that boulder. So, I'm going to have you run that distance."

"Running 100 meters?" Erasa blinked. "That shouldn't be too difficult, but why?"

"I'll explain after I clock your time," Gohan replied, pulling out a stopwatch. "Being a fast runner doesn't necessarily make one a good martial artist, but it never hurts to have strong legs." He and Goten casually walked over towards the stone, Goten poised to act as the announcer.

"Ready?" Gohan called out.

"I'm ready!" Erasa called back, performing a few quick stretches. 

"Go!" Goten called out, raising his arm into the air.

Erasa bolted towards the rock on Goten's rallying cry, her feet slamming the ground as she quickened her pace. Had another human been watching Erasa close the distance between herself and the boulder, they may have assumed Erasa's lower legs had been enhanced with tightly coiled springs. Reaching the rock within only moments, Gohan gently clicked the stopwatch, and looked down at the recorded time.

"10 seconds flat." Gohan concluded. "For a human, that kind of speed is remarkable; it's on the level of a trained athlete, and you've only just unlocked your ki."  
  
"So, I hit a good time?" Erasa asked, excited. While she didn't notice it, she wasn't even slightly winded; the run hadn't taken that much of her energy at all.

"It's remarkable, actually," Gohan repeated, placing the stopwatch inside his gi for safekeeping. "However, you're still well within the limit of the human body. With the training you're going to endure for the next six months, you're going to surpass your human wall, and break it down. I'm going to run you through the grinder; by the time the training is finished, you'll be able to run this same distance in 5 seconds or less."

"5 seconds?" Erasa tried to wrap her mind around clearing 100 meters in just five seconds. Not even the most trained athletes could pull that off. Just as Erasa was wondering how fast Gohan could run a 100 meter dash, she saw him bending down to pick up smooth, round stone from the ground. 

"Why are you picking up a stone, Gohan?" The blonde queried.

Gohan pulled out a black KEEN marker, and began to scribble something onto the stone. When he had finished, he showed Erasa the stone, and the girl saw it had the character "魔" inscribed on it. "This will be the last of the basics for today, but it's also your most crucial test for the day as well."  
Erasa blinked in confusion. "A rock will be my most crucial test? Am I going to throw it?" The girl figured, given the last test was legwork, this may be armwork.

"This won't be a rock throwing test," Gohan clarified, shaking his head. "This will be a rock finding test." And without warning, Gohan gently tossed the rock towards the jungle. While Gohan would call this a gentle throw, it far outmatched even a star pitcher, the rock was soon lost in the thick trees and vines of jungle foliage.  
  
"Finding!?" Erasa spluttered, losing her cool for a brief second. "I'm supposed to find that small rock in a jungle like that!?"

"Yep," Gohan replied innocently. "That isn't the only thing, however — there's also a time limit, and a penalty if you fail to complete it within the allotted time. You have a half hour to find that rock, and if you can't find it, you have to go without meals for the day."

As if on cue, the blonge girl's stomach let out a muffled growling noise, and she realized she had yet to have anything to eat; if she wanted to fill her stomach, she had to find one small pebble in an ocean of forested mess. 

"And your half hour starts...now!" Gohan called out, looking at a pocketwatch he had on his person. Without wasting a second, Erasa rose into the air, and flew off, straight down the edge of the cliff and into the dense undergrowth.

The moment she landed in the jungle, the blonde began to feel uncomfortable. It was a stark temperature difference from the main island above; the humidity and heat pressed onto her skin, making Erasa unable to tell if she was already sweating or not. Glancing around, the girl swatted a noisy fly, taking in the scenery. Trees as tall as small building acted as a canopy, filtering almost all the sunlight, inducing a dappled effect in the dull-lit jungle; Erasa could clearly hear birdcalls, as well as the grunts and footsteps of several dinosaurs; true to her suspicious, a lone dinosaur she recognized as  _camptosaurus dispar_  from a book she'd read as a child. Erasa tensed hid behind the trunk of a large tree as the creature walked past; she had nothing to fear in way of becoming dinner;  _camptosaurus dispar_ was an herbivore, but she didn't want to risk a run-in with a possibly territorial creature.

" _Just what kind of jungle is this?_ " Had Erasa not known any better, she'd have assumed she'd been thrown into a different world entirely; with such a civilized island harboring a wild mess of a jungle like this, who could blame her? " _And I have to find a stone in all of this!?_ "

 

* * *

 

 

"Gohan, do you think she's alright?" Goten asked curiously, looking over the edge of the cliff that Erasa had flown down. "Isn't just thirty minutes to find a rock like that gonna be really hard for Erasa?"

"It wouldn't be any decent training if it was easy," Gohan replied, having taken at seat on the ground while he waited for Erasa to emerge, with the rock or without it. "That's the one thing both the Turtle School and the Demon School have in common; if the training isn't pushing you to your absolute limits, how can you believe you're actually making any progress? For training to have any benefit, it has to be harsh, rough, and sometimes, very painful. That's what I learned from Piccolo when I was a kid."

Goten looked at his brother, speechless. He hadn't seen this side of his brother before — the determined teacher, molding a student.

"I meant what I said," Gohan continued. "For the next six months, I'm going to run Erasa through the grinder. And in the end, her efforts will pay off."

 

* * *

  
Trudging through the underbrush, Erasa noted she was assuredly lost. Flying was of no help to her in this densely packed forest either; maneuvering in suffocating bundle of trees and vines was nearly impossible, leading Erasa to scour the forest on foot.   
  
" _I think I'm starting to take the idea of walking for granted_ ," The blonde thought as she caught herself lamenting her inability to navigate the jungle with flight.  
  
While lost in her mourning over the inability to fly, she was snapped back into reality when she heard the rustling and crunching of leaves behind her, immediately attracting the blonde's attention. Pivoting on her heel, the girl saw the source of the noise; a large saber-toothed cat. And it was springing right for her.  
  
Reacting on instinct, Erasa leapt into the air, the wildcat barely missing her as the girl clung to a nearby tree branch, breathing heavily as she looked down at the figure of the mighty beast, sweat dripping down her scalp in salty beads. She kept her eyes locked on the wildcat, and found herself admiring if, it only for the unique position she was in to actually observe one.  
  
A mighty body of pure muscle that lay hidden beneath the golden fur, the sabertooth cat silently pawed the ground, kicking up dust as it snarled in Erasa's direction, before letting out a mighty roar that seemed to shake the area. Erasa knew, if she wanted to so much as have a chance at finding that stone, she needed to get past this cat. It wouldn't be easy however, as she knew this king of the jungle was intent on putting her onto the menu.  
  
Erasa knew she didn't have the time to waste here, and moved on an impulse, leaping from one tree to another, the impact causing the trunk of the next tree to bend. Smirking to herself, she angled her body towards the sabertooth cat, and released the pressure on the trunk, springing forward with great speed. When she neared the beast, she slammed her elbow down into the back of its neck, and the force of her attack caused the sabertooth's cat body to crumple as it fell unconscious.  
  
Erasa panted as she landed neatly on the ground; the effort to just stay alive in this death trap of forest combined trying to locate a very small stone was beginning to take it's toll on Erasa. Not only was her breathing becoming slightly ragged, but she noted she felt very sticky; her clothing clung to her body as her skin was coated in a bright sheen of sweat and humidity.  
  
" _I'm running out of time,_ " She thought to herself, wiping sweat from her brow, though it did no good. Erasa wanted to sit down and rest — being attacked by a large predator does tend to tire one out — but the girl didn't know how much time she had left, only that the clock was ticking. Taking a mental note that she would need a bath after this, the girl pressed on through the forest, looking for the stone to the best of her ability.  
  


* * *

  
  
Sitting on the cliff-face that overlooked the jungle, Gohan reached for the stopwatch to gauge Erasa's time, and realised she only had a minute left. A minute left to find one unique piece of hay in a haystack. He stood up, looking down over the mess of trees and vines; when her time was up, he'd send a powerful ki blast into the air to work as a flare.  
  
Gohan didn't want to doubt her, and he had to admit, Erasa had pulled herself out of training that should have taken longer before, but this was different; would she make it back with the rock?  
  


* * *

  
Erasa picked up what she was beginning to suspect was her hundreth rock that looked similar to the smooth stone Gohan had thrown into the forest, and harshly cast it aside when she saw it bore no marking. The rock shattered as it impacted with the ground, being only one of several Erasa had reduced to dust as the pressure to complete her test began to weigh on her.  
  
The blonde reached for another rock, and to her irritation, saw it lacked the marking she was looking for. Just as she was about to cast it aside, she heard a large explosion like a firework, and cast her eyes into the air. Through the clustered canopy of jungle fern leaves, Erasa could see a glowing orb rise into the sky and disperse; once, twice, and three times. It took the girl a moment to realise this was Gohan's signal that her time was up, and letting out a heavy sigh, she cast the rock onto the ground as she started to rise up through the branches and leaves, floating above the jungle. She flew off slowly towards the cliff, not wanting to face Gohan. No matter how long she delayed it, however, the girl reached the cliff after a few minutes, looking as if she was very lost.  
  
Gohan quickly noticed her expression, and that Erasa was standing a little ways off from him, and she didn't seem keen to meet his eyes. "So...did you find it?" He asked tentatively.  
  
Not looking Gohan in the eye, Erasa muttered something too low for even Gohan to pick up, looking downwards at the ground in a way where her bangs covered her eyes.  
  
"I'm sorry?" Gohan inquired.  
  
"I DIDN'T FIND THE STUPID ROCK!" Erasa went from quiet and meek to shouting and angry at the drop of a hat. Gohan was taken aback when he saw Erasa's eyes; normally a soft blue, now they were alight with the fire of irritation.  
  
"Wha...?" Gohan hadn't expected the stress of the test to accumulate in a way that it would cause Erasa to lash out at him. Though he had to assume that meant the test was as difficult as it ought to have been, he didn't like seeing Erasa this way.   
  
"I'm sorry.." Erasa replied softly, hanging her head and shoulders in both shame and irritation; when she did so, Gohan noticed the girl had acquired more than her fair share of bruises, as well as cuts that looked like they were from the claws and teeth of a wild animal. Gohan concluded this was the source of the commotion he heard several times in the jungle below; Erasa had tangled with multiple wild beasts during her hunt for that stone.  
  
"A sabertooth cat attacked me," Erasa explained bitterly. "I met quite a few, actually. I know I had to be so close in finding the stone, but the cats wouldn't let up; by the time I was able to retrace my steps and begin a proper search, my time was up."  
  
"Well, it seems you encountered some trouble that derailed your objective. However," Gohan said, heaved a heavy sigh before plainly staring at Erasa. "That's how life is, and martial arts teaches no differently. Because you didn't get the rock in time, it means you failed the test. Looks like you're going to have to go without eating lunch."  
  
Erasa nodded, and as if on cue, her stomach rumbled, causing the girl to rub it instinctively. "I understand, Gohan..."  
  
"Why don't you go take a rest, for now?" Gohan suggested in what he hoped was a helpful manner. "This was only the assessment portion; the true Turtle School training begins tomorrow."  
  
Nodding silently, Erasa trudged off, her head held low.   
  
Seeing Erasa walk off looking so dejected, Gohan reached out for her, before retracting it quickly. The hybrid scratched his head as he groaned in frustration. " _Darn...! Training someone is a lot harder than I thought! Some supportive mentor I'm turning out to be..._ " He cast a gaze towards the sky. " _I guess I'm a lot less like you, Dad, and more like Piccolo..."_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, first off, an apology to all my readers. It's been nearly a full month since my last upload, and I didn't want to take quite this long until a certain chapter later on. To explain myself away quickly, I've been sick with a sore throat; my tonsils swelled up, and this hurt quite a lot, actually. It was hard to swallow, I didn't have energy, barely wanted to talk or write, so I spent quite a few weeks resting because of this. It lasted a lot longer than it ought to have. And to cap it all off, I've been having internet connection issues, which haven't helped crap, and this chapter was also not my forte; human interactions, oi. 
> 
> Thankfully, I was able to pull through, especially with some assistance from Mangetsu20; let's thank him right now as he helped me brainstorm quite a bit for this chapter to make sure I didn't screw it up, and of course, his proofreading. 
> 
> So, as per the usual, let me explain some of the things that went on in this chapter. Earlier, when Gohan went to visit Erasa to meet Marque, he wore a shirt that read "飯道". The word is "Meshidō", and it can mean one of four things: "Way of Food", "Way of Cooked Rice", "Way of a Meal", and "Way of One's Livelihood". All four of these fit Gohan very well, and I consider it a kind of "crowning achievement" as far as things go; additionally, Marque read it as "Way of One's Livelihood", hence why he stated he liked the shirt. Funny little blooper; I wasn't paying attention at the time and had Marque say he liked Gohan's "shit". Yeah, that's what happens when I'm not paying attention.
> 
> As you all remember, to anyone who was a fan of the original Dragon Ball in addition to "Z", Goku, Krillin, Rōshi and Lunch trained on an island in preparation for the Budōkai. To bring back the nostalgic feeling, I brought the island back as well. But this time, I gave it a name: Elche Island. "Elche" is an anagram of "Leche", meaning "milk", referencing the milk delivery Goku and Krillin had to perform. It also just fits well with Chi-Chi. 
> 
> Dinosaurs. We all know them, we all love them, and I'm sure every person in my readership has seen Jurassic Park. If you haven't...please go watch it. Either way, I doubt every one of you would recognize the dinosaur I used in this chapter: camptosaurus dispar. To be honest, I'm not all too familiar with it myself; however, I dislike using stock dinosaurs such as the Triceratops, so I went with one not everyone would recognize right off the bat. 
> 
> Due to how long the chapter was getting, I actually cut off some material I intended for after Erasa's training; this will occur in the next main chapter of the story!
> 
> So, all in all, I think this was a good chapter; it was difficult to do, because human interactions aren't my area of expertise, but I managed to pull through. I hope you all like it, and I'll see you in the next exciting installment of the Erased Chronicles!


	9. Pools of Reflection

Erasa groaned, sitting outside of the Son household, trying to enjoy the crisp night air. Whimpering, the girl clutched at her stomach, which was snarling and howling, followed by the undertone of slight pain. Trying her best to ignore her squirming gut, the blonde tried to console herself with the thought that she was not starving, merely hungry. The sensation, however, was still ridiculously uncomfortable — while Erasa had in no means been treated to feasts for the duration of her life, she was still used to being able to eat something whenever she was hungry, and had three square meals a day.  
  
Thus, missing even on meal made her stomach become extremely loud and rumbly.  
  
"Mmrrrrmmmhhh..." A slight growl escaped the girl's mouth this time; one of dissatisfaction. Not only due to her hungry state, but at the fact that she failed the rock-finding test. She'd wanted to do well so badly — or had she just wanted to impress Gohan that badly?   
  
"Are you feeling alright?" The upbeat and laid-back voice of Chi-Chi caught Erasa by surprise, causing the blonde girl to flinch in shock, before quickly settling down when she realized it was just Chi-Chi.   
  
"O-Oh, Chi-Chi," Erasa breathed, clutching her now thumping heart. "It's only you..."  
  
"I suppose the lack of food is starting to get to you," Chi-Chi said knowingly. She was right of course, though it wasn't just her hungry state; the emotional turmoil combined with the minor wounds of tangling with that saber-toothed cat were the other factors surrounding Erasa's current state.  
  
"Yeah, you could say that..." Erasa replied, and as if to confirm her statement, a low rumbling noise gurgled from her stomach again, causing her face to flush pink.  
  
Laughing slightly, Chi-Chi shot Erasa a warm smile. "I can relate. Why don't you come join me in this island's hot springs? They're perfect for washing away aches and pain, and you'll find slipping in will help you forget your worries."  
  


* * *

  
  
Erasa took a deep breath as she stepped out of the changing area of the bathhouse and into the cool night air of the women's bathing section. Firmly clutching a towel in the forefront of her body, it didn't do much to disguise the attractiveness of the young woman's figure. While still retaining a certain softness around her cheeks and thighs, the development her pert breasts and slim waistline was very apparent. Seeming to have a natural tan to her complexion, seeing no signs of tan lines anywhere of the clothing bereft girl, it just furthered her visual appeal that was complemented by her crop of blonde hair and sparkling blue eyes.   
  
" _So this is a hot spring,_ " The girl thought to herself, letting out a sigh as she stepped forward, walking along the brief cobblestone path towards the steaming pool of water surrounded by the jutting formation of natural grey stone. The thick steam did little to hamper her vision, as  it thinned out when it rose higher. Approaching the edge of the spring, Erasa slipped in, noticing Chi-Chi had already made it into the water.  
  
The older woman, despite her added years, seemed to retain a great deal of her youthfulness. Her creamy skinned complexion was maintained throughout, not lessening in color or texture across her person. Her bosom was full and healthy, expected of someone who's been a mother of two children. Her sparkling eyes and rich dark hair further accented her beauty, truly depicting her as a rare kind of woman for Gohan to have as his mom.  
  
"How are you feeling, Erasa?" Chi-Chi inquired, looking at the young girl who was slipping into the warm spring water, running a wet towel along the side of her face.   
  
"Actually, I'm already starting to feel a little better," Erasa admitted, and true to the fact, settling into the water seemed to have a strange soothing effect. The warmth created by the hot springs was relaxing indeed; it seemed to counteract not only the empty sensation within her stomach, but the still-fresh wounds from the saber-tooth cat were washed clean by the water, and pain seemed to leave her body simply by soaking in the water.  
  
"I know what you're going through, if that's any consolation," Chi-Chi told her, smiling wryly. "I'm no stranger to martial arts, and I've done your kind of training before."  
  
" _You_  were a martial artist as well?" Erasa voiced her surprise.  
  
"What, did you not expect a housewife like me to be capable of getting onto a tournament ring with everyone else?" Chi-Chi chided, causing Erasa to smile apologetically.   
  
"N-No, not at all! In fact, given your everyday clothing, I figured you had some experience; I just wasn't banking on you undergoing this kind of intense training." The girl was quick to explain this all away, not wanting to offend Chi-Chi when the woman finally seemed to be opening up to her.  
  
"I never told you, did I?" Realization hit Chi-Chi that this conversation wouldn't go too far if Erasa didn't know a little bit about her. "You and Gohan actually remind me quite a bit of Goku and myself; so young and carefree." Her face blushed a warm crimson that had nothing to do with the heat of the water. "Did you know that Goku proposed to me at the Tenka'ichi Budōkai?"  
  
"Proposed!? At the Budōkai?" Erasa exclaimed, astounded by this new revelation, and yet her eyes lit up like a child on Christmas Day. "That's very romantic!" Her thoughts began to drift to Gohan, and wondering if he would do something as bold as that in front of a crowd of people. Her face glew a bright crimson as she imagined Gohan taking her hand on bended knee, and she tried to shoo the thought away as quickly as she could.   
  
"Isn't it!?" Chi-Chi squealed in girlish glee, seeming quite a bit less like a mother of two and far more like a teenage girl who had just been asked out on a date by the most popular boy in high school. "I was taken by surprise, naturally, when he proposed in front of that entire crowd; it's not in my nature to just say yes like that, but Goku insisted, so I accepted!"  
  
"So that's why you trained?" Erasa inquired with genuine curiousity. "You wanted to fight Gohan's dad?"  
  
"You could say that," Chi-Chi replied, sloshing water as she leaned against the rocks, casting a look towards the starry sky. "Though it was more a case of wanting to stand beside him; you see, Goku had promised to marry me several years before that, but he had been gone for several years to go on his own adventures with his friends." In response to Erasa's aghast expression, Chi-Chi flashed a kind smile. "Goku's always been like that; a free-spirit. I gave up trying to reign him in years ago. But you see, I wanted to share in that adventure with him; where Goku goes, a conflict will always follow. So I wanted to become stronger, in the hopes I wouldn't be left behind."  
  
She sighed heavily. "Of course, as Goku got stronger, my own hopes for that were dashed; because of that, I decided we would settle down instead. If I couldn't join him on his adventures, I'd keep him with me instead — our married life would be a different kind of adventure."  
  
"I can't see that with myself," Erasa admitted, sinking into the water until only her head was visible. "I've always been a go-getter; I want what you wanted, Chi-Chi — adventure."  
  
"With Gohan?" The mother of two pried curiously.   
  
Erasa was at first silent. Bowing her head, her face flushed red more from her own embarrassment than the heated pool. After a handful of seconds, she nodded meekly at Chi-Chi.  
  
Smiling devilishly, Chi-Chi replied,  "I figured as much."  
  
"Is it that obvious?" The younger girl inquired.  
  
"I had the assumption something was going on for awhile now." Chi-Chi shrugged, smiling. "That just confirms it."  
  
Erasa didn't know it had been so obvious, and while a huge part of her now wished she could fade into the warm water of the hot spring and float away, another part of her saw this as an opportunity. Chi-Chi didn't seem to have anything against her being with Gohan, so wouldn't this be the perfect chance to talk to a woman about this kind of situation?  
  
"Um...Chi-Chi," Erasa inquired, taking care to mask the nervous tone of her voice. "What was your life with Gohan's dad like — with Goku, I mean?"  
  
"With Goku?" Chi-Chi repeated, initially surprised that Erasa would inquire about her husband, but then a smile crept along her face. "In a word, it was like an old fairy tale. Goku wasn't like any person I ever met; so unusual, but at the same time, he was an earnest and honest boy that I'd never met before, having lived twelve years in my father's castle on Fry-Pan Mountain."  
  
" _A castle...?_ " Erasa thought without interrupting, briefly remembering when she assumed Gohan was from a wealthy family due to how she misunderstood is arriving in a city from this far out in the country just to check it out. Ironically, she hadn't been too far off the mark; not that it mattered to her, of course.   
  
"Earnest and honest," Erasa mused, smiling fondly. "Gohan sounds a lot like his father."  
  
"You could say the apple doesn't fall far from the tree," the ebony-tressed woman agreed; Gohan was the closest thing to Goku left in the world, discounting Goten, who acquired Goku's naïveté. "Back to your question, Goku had a very unique presence; just being around him made me feel happier, at ease even. It was a feeling of security I've never experienced before."  
  
This ended in silence, with Erasa mulling over everything Chi-Chi had said. Life with Gohan would be like a 'fairy tale', as Chi-Chi had put it; but could anyone's life be so full of purity and innocence? Sloshing over towards the edge of the hot spring, Erasa turned away from Chi-Chi for a moment, resting her body against the cool stone; the wind blew around her exposed, wet skin, causing the girl to shiver slightly. A fairy tale...but what did ''she'' want out of a life with Gohan? If she was honest with herself, she couldn't imagine her future without Gohan now; that much was certain.   
  
She smacked her face gently with both hands, snapping herself out of her reverie. Worrying like this wasn't like her; she and Gohan had plenty of time to consider the possibilities of their future together, after all. Being preoccupied about all of this now could only derail something nice. Breathing in and out, she sunk back into the water, treading through it on her way back towards Chi-Chi...and her stomach let out a resounding protest at its empty situation.  
  
Chi-Chi let out a soft chortle at Erasa's expense, before standing up, water splashing back into the heated pool. Water dripped down her bare figure as she sighed. "It is well past midnight; let's go home, Erasa, I'll fix you something for breakfast a little early." Chi-Chi was a clever girl; exposing a neat little loophole to lend Erasa a helping hand.  
  
"Th-Thanks, Chi-Chi!" Erasa breathed in relief, but a thought hit her. "What if this happens tomorrow? I'm not quite sure I can take being deprived of food again, two days in a row, just for not being able to find a rock in a forest like that..."  
  
"So that was the test Gohan had you take?" Chi-Chi was all too familiar with it; her father had conducted a similar test, only instead of a small forest, she had to search a good portion of the Diablo Desert. She still felt parched and drained remembering the heat of that horrid place; a few run-ins with reanimated corpses hadn't helped the situation any. "How did you go about looking for that little stone; with an area like the Soi Forest, you didn't try to find it with your eyes, did you?"  
  
"I-I did," Erasa replied, baffled that Chi-Chi would ask this question. Isn't that the only way she could have searched for the rock when it was thrown? Did Chi-Chi expect the girl to have tried to sniff it out like a hound?  
  
"That's where your error came in," Chi-Chi leaned towards Erasa, finger jabbed in the girl's direction, emphasizing her point. "I'm sure Gohan will explain more of this later, but there's more to martial arts than your basic senses — the point of that test wasn't to search with your eyes. When you look only with your eyes, it's far too easy to be deceived."  
  
" _To look...with more than just my eyes?_ " Erasa's befuddlement was plain as day on her face; it was only obvious, the girl hadn't quite grasped what Chi-Chi was trying to egg her towards.   
  
"It's something that will come with time, don't worry," Chi-Chi assured her, not in the slightest but frustrated with Erasa's inability to understand what she said. "Now, let's head back, and I'll make you something to eat. You'll appreciate it; your real training hasn't even started yet."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, so, it's finally out. After venturing into a one-shot for a bit of variety, chapter 9 of The Erased Chronicles has appeared in the wild! This chapter took a bit of pre-planning, but then again, all great chapters do. It's remarkable how I initially wanted to do this as a pure, fanservice chapter, with Erasa bathing in a hot spring. But then an idea hit me; having her bond this way, through Chi-Chi. It wouldn't derail the narrative, and it would make for some pretty decent set-up and character development. I originally intended for this to be an omake, which is why it is so short.
> 
> So, a few brief things before I end this note: everyone, do remember, Chi-Chi IS a martial artist. She went through quite a bit of training to make it to the World Martial Arts Tournament and fight Goku, and therefore, I figure it's not out of the realm of possibility that she is a very experienced fighter. So naturally, her characterization near the end followed suit with this line of thinking. On an unrelated note, "Soi" is an obvious "Soy" pun. Aren't I genius at twelve in the morning?
> 
> Anyway; sorry for such a short chapter, and I promise the next chapter will return to the status quo! I have quite a bit in store for you guys! As always, let's thank Mangestu20, my good friend, for both his help in the planning stages and proofreading of my chapter! I'll see everyone in the next exciting chapter of The Erased Chronicles.


	10. Under the Shell

In the early morning, the entire island was utterly quiet. Both animal and human inhabitants slept soundly, all trouble forgotten. But for a certain blonde tressed human residing in the Son household, the tranquility of the Land of Dreams was about to be brutally shattered by reality.  
  
Within the confines of Chi-Chi's bedroom, formerly shared with her late husband, Son Goku, Erasa and Chi-Chi were both sleeping soundly. Having lacked any futons for Erasa to sleep on — and the housewife being far too kind to allow a guest to sleep on the family room sofa — Erasa was made to kip in Chi-Chi's bed for the duration of their training stay.  
  
Underneath the thick quilt, the older and younger woman were enjoying a sound sleep in their nightgowns, their chests slowly rising and falling with every breath they took. Erasa ground her teeth as she left, and turned away from Chi-Chi, tugging the quilt with her. As it were, both women were enjoying a pleasant slumber —  
  
— and then the shrill cry of an alarm resounded through the room.  
  
"Stones!" Erasa shouted, sitting bolt upright in response to the alarm's trilling noise. "Stones drinking tea!" Breathing deeply, it took her a moment to process that the strange dream she had was not actually occurring . She was safe in Chi-Chi's bed, staring down an analog alarm clock that hung from the ceiling, reading 4:30 AM.   
  
"I see you're awake..." Chi-Chi commented as she sat up slowly, rubbing the sleep out of her eyes. She reached over Erasa's side of the bed, clenching the clock in her fist; while it wasn't quite hitting the snooze button, the shrill ringing noise still ceased, and the alarm itself now showed signs of denting. "I know I allowed Gohan to set the alarm, but I didn't think it would be quite so...loud." She finished lamely; even Chi-Chi's wit was hampered by an apathetic state  
  
"Set the alarm?" Erasa flashed Chi-Chi a bewildered look. "For 4:30 AM?"  
  
"That sounds about right," Chi-Chi glanced at the dented alarm clock as she slid out of the bed. "Do you expect your training to amount to anything if you start it in the middle of the day?"  
  
Erasa shrugged it off without any complaint; after all, she had signed on for this herself, so she had to go along with whatever the training required, even if it meant only having four hours of sleep. Making a mental note to start sleeping around 9 PM, Erasa slid out of the bed as well, looking for the attire in which she'd begin training.  
  


* * *

  
"Oh good, you've made it," Gohan said with a smile, waving to his newest pupil and dearest friend. He was glad that the alarm he set up got her on time without him personally needing to wake her. Considering what had happened the day prior, he hoped that Erasa would breach through her slump and train harder despite her failure yesterday.   
  
"What, you'd think I'd just sleep in?" Erasa playfully inquired, pretending to sound mad when a half smile was worked up around her face as she approached -fully clothed in her training gi- for more training.   
  
"Wha-?! No!" Gohan immediately recoiled, awkwardly interpreting Erasa's jeer as more than a little serious. He waved his hands at her with widened eyes of pleading projected across his face. "I meant it was nice to see you get up at this time. Normally the only other person I'd expect to see at this time of day was myself or Goten. I just find it a good change of pace, that's all, haha!"   
  
"Relax, I was just kidding," Erasa rolled her eyes as she stopped in front of her mentor and dear friend.  
  
"I'm just glad to see you're ready to continue," Gohan's face relaxed into a warm smile. It was true, he had been worried about her. He feared that Erasa might have been embittered about the end result of yesterday's training.   
  
"If I was going to give up that easily, I wouldn't have bothered to ask you to train me, would I?" The blonde inquired rhetorically, earning a grin of approval from her mentor.  
  
"You're right, I'm sorry for doubting you," Gohan conceded. "Now, without any further ado, let's move to your next training spot."  
  
Erasa rose into the air, expecting Gohan to become airborne with her. Much to her surprise, Gohan remained grounded, and looked up at Erasa with a look of amused exasperation.   
  
"What?" Erasa questioned, flushing slightly with indignation at Gohan's expression.  
  
"Come back on down," Gohan called upwards, laughing. Erasa heeded, descending smoothly onto the shifting grass. "We're not flying there; if we did that, there wouldn't be any actual training involved, would there? We're going to take a light jog towards your next training session!"  
  
"R-Right!" Erasa and Gohan took off at a very brisk trot across the island. Fitting with the early morning, barely any one was awake; the only residents who were awake at this hour were either farmers, or had another kind of job that required this degree of early rising.  
  
"Keep pace with me," Gohan called back; while not quite lagging behind him, as the Saiyan was limiting his own speed to allow Erasa to try and match his stride, she was still trailing behind.   
  
" _It's just a bit of jogging_ ," Erasa thought to herself, trying to chase away any thoughts that might remind her of the previous day's failure.  
  
The duo took the winding roads of the island towards a half-dome building, a common style with structures sprung from Hoi-Poi Capsules. Emblazoned on the side of the building, in large, emboldened letters, was  **MILK** , with a cow replacing the tiddle that would have been over the I. Outside the building was a young woman who wore nothing but a pair of blue overalls clinging tightly overly her sizeable endowments; her hair was long and white-blonde, and cow horns adorned the left and right sides of her skull.  
  
"Hi there," The woman chirped, her bright grey eyes shining at the sight of Gohan and Erasa.   
  
"Hello," Gohan greeted her in response. "I'm Son Gohan, the one Kame-sennin called about?"  
  
"Oh, so you're the one!" The girl flashed a charming smile complimented by a luminescent blush that clashed well with her ivory skin. "Dad told me when I was a kid that Kame-sennin might come back to train his students here, but I didn't think I'd get to see it happen in person. Though I do feel a bit put out about not being able to meet Kame-sennin in person."  
  
" _I guess even Master Rōshi is still famous in some parts of the world,_ " Gohan couldn't help but find the woman's earnest attitude towards the venerable master to be quite endearing. Ever since Mr. Satan had become popular over the course of several years, the idea of 'true' martial arts had all but faded into obscurity, and with it, the fame and recognition that Master Rōshi held in the hearts of those who practiced the art.   
  
"Are the crates ready?" The young adult Saiyan queried, earning another smile from the cow-girl.  
  
"Sure, just let me get them," She replied, clenching her gloved hands and performing a fist-pumping motion that caused the girl's abnormally large mammaries to bounce. Walking into the building, leaving Gohan and Erasa in brief silence, she came out carrying two thick crates labeled  **MILK** , with the same stylized tiddle as the side of the building. Setting them down onto the ground, she reached into her cleavage and pulled out a sheet of paper.  
  
"This will be the delivery route," She explained to Gohan, showing him the map.   
  
It didn't take Gohan too long to memorize the route. Once he had, the two were set for delivery, moving around the island along the path and occasionally vaulting over natural earthen obstacles. Their journey was brisk though not discomforting, giving the semblance of an almost normal chore aside from the load they carried on their backs.  
  
While she had remained silent for several minutes, Erasa finally voiced her bewilderment at their task.   
  
"Um...Gohan, what are we doing with crates of milk?" The blonde inquired as she lifted one up from the bottom.  
  
"For your first training exercise, we're going to deliver these crates of milk to every lodging on the island," Gohan explained casually, handling the box with greater ease than Erasa.  
  
Erasa nearly dropped the box, hurriedly clambering for the falling box before it could crash into the ground and spill the milk before they even began. "Our first training...is milk delivery?"   
  
"That's right, and we're actually falling behind, it's already 4:50, so let's get started," As if trying to inspire Erasa despite the oddness of the training, Gohan approached it with quite a bit more gusto than he normally would have. "We'll break from jogging and move onto a light sprint!"  
  
The proprietor of  **MILK** smiled and waved, not in the least bit surprised to see her would-be-assistants go off to deliver milk on foot. After all, her father had told her of these things before; legendary martial artists who used the most unorthodox training methods.   
  
" _Didn't Dad mention a Son Gohan before_? _"_ The girl wondered, placing a gloved hand to her chin in a pondering motion. " _Oh well. Must be a coincidence!_ "  
  


* * *

  
Odd.  
  
That was the nicest word Erasa could use to describe this as she and Gohan sprinted two kilomoeters to the nearest dwelling to leave a bottle of milk in the delivery box specifically labelled for such deliveries. She wasn't a stranger to martial arts training, so she knew this was far from a standard method to train, if it could be considered a 'method' at all.  
  
" _I won't question it,_ " She thought to herself as they took a different path towards another home a kilometer away — with Gohan changing the sprinting to skipping. " _There has to be some merit to this kind of training, if this is the training Gohan's father did._ "  
  
Despite her initial misgivings with this method of 'training', delivering milk did bring one thing to Erasa's mind. A bit of happiness. If nothing else, she loved being able to help people, and even something as simple as delivering their milk to them gave Erasa a warm feeling; that she was lightening anyone's daily load in any way.  
  
"Don't lag behind, Erasa, or the milk will sour!" True to Gohan's words, Erasa was lagging behind several paces, even with the Saiyan hybrid limiting his own speed to something he considered to be within the realm of 'human'.   
  
Feeling a bit of a competitive spirit ignite in her, Erasa grinned at Gohan's beckoning. Making sure to keep a tight hold of the crates in her arm, Erasa began to pick up her pace, increasing the speed as much as she felt she could handle while keeping the load balanced. It was difficult at first, but after a few seconds she began to increase her speed to sprint next to Gohan.   
  
Their eyes briefly met, a glint of enjoyment shared between master and student. The sound of their feet tapping across the earth gently, their bodies whooshing across the rural road towards their next destination. It had been fortunate that the house was within eye sight, otherwise they may had gone too fast with the arm loads of dairy products, wary of losing their grip.  
  
"That's the kind of spirit I want to see," Gohan breathed as Erasa slipped a glass bottle of milk into the delivery box on the front lawn of the house. "Let's see you put that kind of effort into the training to come!"  
  


* * *

  
  
Due to the size of the island, and the number of people inhabiting it, even delivering their moderate amount of milk took Erasa and Gohan several hours to complete, and by the time they had finished, the clock had since struck 7:30 AM.   
  
Erasa, bending over with her hands on her knees, desperately trying to catch her breath, already felt exhausted. For what seemed like a very tame island, what should have been a simple delivery route was instead wrought with all kinds of dangers that made Erasa very aware of why Gohan would consider something like 'milk delivery' training; roaring rapids, fallen log bridges, being pursued by a  _T. rex_ , Erasa was beginning to think that "Hell Island" was a more apt brand for Elche Island.  
  
"Talk about a way to work up a bit of a sweat," Gohan cheerfully stated as he stretched. "I can see you look a bit tired.  You may want to recover as quickly as you can; that was just your early morning routine. Your  _morning_  routine begins now."  
  
"W-Wait, let me catch my breath!" Erasa pleaded, her eyes widening at the statement as she inhaled deeply. Her lungs felt like they were on fire, and her throat felt like it had been sliced to ribbons; just the simple act of inhaling was painful. She knew she'd need more than a few minutes for this.   
  
Giving Erasa more than a few minutes to rest, Gohan wasted no time in resuming their training efforts. "Now that you've rested from your wake-up, it's time to begin your morning routine of training and get your day moving. Morning training," Gohan gestured to the left of them, "will consist of plowing these fields."  
  
Erasa, at this, only just realized that she and Gohan had stopped in front of farmland; and true enough, a farmer was busy tilling the land on his own.   
  
"P-plowing?" She blinked in confusion as Gohan consulted the farmer to receive the okay for Erasa to continue her training here. Shrugging, Erasa walked over towards the fields, kneeling down and picking up one of the plowing hoes that the farmer had cast aside.   
  
"You can't use that!" Gohan quickly interrupted her before Erasa could even make a swinging motion. "This will be training to strengthen not only your legs, but the muscles in your arms and hands as well. As such, you're going to plow these fields with your bare hands."  
  
Erasa flashed her own hands a look, and saw her digits tremble briefly. "Plow these fields...bare-handed?"   
  
"Yeah, that's the gist of it," Gohan chuckled. In a bit of his own insensitivity, he couldn't quite see this situation from Erasa's human perspective. To him, the act of piercing the ground with his own bare hands would equate to cutting butter; a simple task that posed no real harm. "The sooner you finish these fields, the sooner we can eat breakfast!"  
  
Only then did Erasa remember she had yet to have eaten anything today besides the onion soup Chi-Chi made her at twelve in the morning. The girl clutched her growling stomach, and she nodded in understanding as she immediately turned towards the fields.   
  
Gohan, meanwhile, floated off as if to watch the fields from afar. Due to how long it would take Erasa to complete this training, Gohan took a meditation state akin to his own master, Piccolo, and was draped in a mysterious  _ki_.  
  
" _Plowing farm fields with my bare hands,_ " Erasa thought to herself as she inspected the soil. Mercifully, the ground was already partially tilled; piercing it wouldn't be a huge issue for the first several minutes. Taking a deep breath, she bent down and placed both her hands into the soil in a diver's position, parting the soul with difficulty. The very action caused pain to snap from her fingertips to her arms, past her shoulders and even down to her back. Despite the ground being pre-tilled, the fact that Erasa was trying to dig by hand through solid earth, an uneasy feat for a normal human.   
  
" _If I had to be accurate, it feels like I'm about to shatter my fingers, and it hasn't even been two minutes,_ " Erasa glanced at her hands again, already darkened by soil. " _Perhaps if I augment my hands with my own_ ki _, that would make this doable._ " With the ease that could only come from practice,  _ki_  flowed from the center of her body, pooling into her hands. She could feel the warmth of the inner power, and raised her hands, preparing to dive back into the dirt again.   
  
" _This will be training to strengthen not only your legs, but the muscles in your arms and hands as well._ "   
  
Gohan's words flashed into her mind and the girl stopped a moment before piercing the ground again. Plowing these fields hurt, that much was true, but if she wanted to become stronger, what was the point in easing up this training? It wouldn't amount to anything if she did; and then where would she be? Could she protect Videl if she can't handle her own problems?  
  
A lesson without pain is meaningless, after all.  
  
Taking a deep breath, filling her lungs with the rich air of the morning, Erasa dispersed the  _ki_  around her hands, and grit her teeth in preparation as she split the earth once more with her hands. The now familiar rocking pain shocked through her as she felt the slight give of the earth that indicated her fingers were successfully pushing back against the soil.  
  
After working the fields for a good hour, Erasa began to ponder the nature of her unorthodox training. So far, it was simply farmwork and milk delivery, and none of that seemed quite like training to her. Sure, they involved physical stress on the body; the leg muscles while running with the heavy milk crates, and the arm and hand muscles whilst plowing a field bare handing. But did any of this truly constitute training?  
  
Wiping sweat from her brow with her clean forearm, the girl pressed on, beginning another trench as she continued her torrent of inner thoughts.   
  
" _I shouldn't be ungrateful in the slightest,_ " Erasa thought, trying to ignore the itching feeling on the underside of her fingernails, courtesy of the dirt and grime she was accumulating. " _Even if the training seems to be odd, I can at least counteract that with the positive feeling I'm getting from lending a hand; in fact, that has to be the only thing these 'exercises' of the Turtle School had in common._ "  
  
" _Those who train in the art of budō are not to use their skills to train solely for the sake of power and glory. These arts are mastered for the sake of one's health and body — but most importantly, to protect 'freedom'. Not simply the freedom of oneself, but the freedom of others as well; these arts, your powers honed here, are to be used for the welfare of other people, not only yourself._ "  
  
It was remarkable how easily these words came back to Erasa after so many years; the words of her first sensei when she and Videl were entering martial arts together. Admittedly, Erasa hadn't understood a word of it then, while Videl had hung onto every word; but now, reflecting on her teacher's words, she felt like she understood them now.  
  
And many of Master Rōshi's exercises seemed to be following the same principle; honing your skills whilst lending aid to other people who need it. Taking a deep breath, Erasa pursued this plowing with a renewed vigor.   
  


* * *

  
  
The entire task took Erasa three hours in total to complete, and by the time it was done, she truly felt famished. Mercifully, Chi-Chi had prepared her a hearty breakfast to eat when her morning training was completed, and, as hungry and exhausted as she was, Erasa nearly wolfed down her food in a very unladylike manner.   
  
"I swear, the way she was eating right now, you'd think she was a Saiyan," Chi-Chi quipped, her chopsticks held in a very slack grip at the shock of seeing Erasa eat with so much zest.  
  
"Famished, aren't we?" Gohan chuckled, not disturbed by this in the slightest; truth be told, neither he, Goten,  nor his father were much in the way of table manners, and Vegeta and Trunks were the same when placed in front of a good meal. A lack of proper table manners wasn't anything new to Gohan.  
  
Despite her full mouth, Erasa still had the decency to at least swallow her food before replying. Taking in a deep breath of air as she felt the large amount of food slide down her gullet, she replied, "You haven't the slightest clue!" before resuming eating, much to Gohan's amusement.   
  
After their meal, it was time for Erasa to study. As Gohan was quick to explain, training isn't meant solely for the body; a fighter's mind must be honed in similar ways. In what was possibly the only other benefit to Chi-Chi forcing Gohan to study as a child, he now possessed a plethora of study material to choose from.  
  
"With this, I won't even fall behind in my own studies," Erasa remarked, shifting through the various textbooks that Gohan had laid out for her. Glancing at the titles of several — one of which was "Mathematical Methods of Physics" — Erasa could tell that Gohan was further ahead than their own class was, and began to wonder why he needed public schooling to begin with.   
  
Eager, however, to continue her training, Erasa chose a book that looked like it was on her level, and she began to study.   
  


* * *

  
After lunch, Erasa was surprised to see that Gohan had strung up two hammocks between the trees.   
  
"Gohan, what are these hammocks doing here?" Erasa asked, walking over to inspect one. It wasn't that she hadn't seen a hammock before, she was just confused as she expected them to continue training.  
  
"It's time to take a break," Gohan replied, gesturing to the hammocks as if it were obvious. "It may seem a little childish, but from now until one thirty, it's time for a nap."  
  
"Isn't that going to get in the way of training?" Erasa inquired, sounding slightly put off. "We've still got so much of the day ahead of us, doesn't it seem a little counterproductive to use that time sleeping?"   
  
"You've forgot something important, didn't you?" Gohan raised a finger, admonishing the blonde. "What good will any of your training be if you don't give your body any time to rest and recover from it? Training, no matter how intense and effective, will eventually become detrimental if you don't take the proper time to rest and recuperate. Remember what happened to Videl."  
  
"Y-Yeah, you're right," Erasa was taken aback. In her eagerness to become stronger, she almost made the same mistake that Videl had; pushing her body past its limits. Breaking the human wall wasn't the same thing as breaking the human body, and better martial artists than herself had forgotten this.  
  
"Eat well, train well, study well, and sleep well: the Turtle School way revolves around this concept more than any other school of martial arts," Gohan explained, and it took him a moment to realize that his father had taken almost all of the tenets of Turtle School into his own life; minus, of course, the studying aspect.  
  
They climbed into their separate hammocks, and soon, only the sound of the wind flowing through the blades of grass and leaves of the trees could be heard. Erasa, however, seemed bothered by the silence, and found herself unable to get back to sleep, despite being thoroughly exhausted from her eight hour training.  
  
"Gohan?" She whispered, and received no response back.   
  
She tried again, "Gooooooohaaaaaan."  
  
With no solid response, Erasa's curiosity got the better of her. A sly smile crossing her face, she slipped out of her own hammock, shuffling over toward's the motionless figure of the teenage Saiyan. Peering over the hammock, Erasa saw Gohan's expressionless sleeping face; the only movement on his body being the slow rise and fall of his chest. So used to seeing Gohan full of energy, seeing him in his sleeping state had its own charm.  
  
" _His sleeping face is so cute..._ " Erasa mused, placing a finger to her chin as she stared, enamored with Gohan. With a mischievous streak lighting fire to her mind, the blonde girl slid into Gohan's hammock, sliding into a groove next to the Saiyan-hybrid. Almost immediately, the warmth she felt from being near Gohan made her far more comfortable than sleeping by herself.   
  
Smiling at the thought of Gohan's reaction when he woke up, Erasa slid a thin arm over Gohan's torso, pulling him close so that she could sleep next to him, and began to drift off immediately.   
  
"Gohan, can you lend me a h-" Chi-Chi walked out of the spherical home that was the Son Residence, looking for her son to lend her some assistance, but stopped when she saw Erasa and Gohan, sound asleep on the hammock, the former's arms wrapped around the latter, a smile on her face. Chi-Chi silently walked off, smiling to herself.   
  


* * *

  
" _What's...pressing me?_ " Gohan thought to himself as his eyes slowly opened, darkness giving way to blinding sunlight. Blinking rapidly, he felt a extra bit of light weight pressed against him, and as it hadn't been there when he had falling asleep, he was wondering if he was still dreaming.   
  
Still groggy, the man craned his head downward to inspect the source of the weight, and his eyes widened in shock to see Erasa, smiling contently. Instinctively, he sat bolt upright, and it was only through restraining himself that his torso didn't impact Erasa's head for considerable damage.  Nevertheless, his movements gave Erasa a very unceremonious wake up as she was thrown off the hammock, landing onto the soft grass beneath them.   
  
"Ow-ow-ow-ow-ow!" Erasa groaned, rubbing the back of her head, one eye closed in a wince. Her open, sapphire orb looked up at Gohan, glistening with comical tears of pain. "Gohan, what was that about? Haven't you ever heard of an alarm clock?"  
  
"I-I'm sorry," Gohan quickly apologized profusely, extending a hand to Erasa, who took it, and he helped her stand up. "I was just...you were sleeping...I didn't expect..." The boy sounded so absolutely flustered that Erasa forgot her pain in a moment of absolute humor. She knew she'd made the right move, just to see Gohan get flustered like this.  
  
"Anyway, let's move on!" Gohan cleared his throat, forcing an impromptu change of subject. His flushed face gave his embarrassment away, however. "Your next training exercise awaits, so let's begin!"  
  


* * *

  
  
Without wasting a beat, Erasa was forced into construction duty next.  
  
" _You see, this island is still expanding. With a population of 300 and still growing, buildings and structures are being built all the time. So your training exercise this time will be construction duty! This training will build up your muscles, and the workers have even graciously agreed to pay you._ "  
  
Steering a wheelbarrow full of dirt and gravel away from one of the digging sites, Erasa had to admit she was working up quite the sweat from this activity alone. Though her hardhat protected her from the beating rays of the sun on her head, it didn't stop the sweat from sticking to her skin. She swiped her brow with her forearm, sighing.   
  
"I won't be demotivated with this!" Erasa told herself firmly. "I can do it!"  
  


* * *

  
"You could say we're on the downhill stretch here," Gohan said, leading Erasa down a hill towards a vast lake. Even in her exhausted, sweatridden state, Erasa couldn't help but be enamored with the sight of the lake. Having only seen bodies of water like this before, with Gohan, it always seemed to make the sight something special that only the two of them should see. A vast expanse of blue, refracting the light of the sun so that it glittered vibrantly; Erasa almost sighed at the sight.  
  
"It's beautiful," She breathed, elated to finally see a lake up close. Walking over to the shore, Erasa knelt down, dipping her hands into the water, splashing the refreshing, cool liquid onto her face.  
  
"Your next training exercise," Gohan smiled, glad to see Erasa's enjoyment of the scene, "will be to swim ten laps from the other side of the lake and back. Ten laps will be all you need to complete this exercise. Not only will this improve your breathing, but swimming is an exercise that vastly strengthens a multitude of muscles around the body."  
  
"Swimming shouldn't be too hard," Erasa nodded firmly. While she would have to swim in  _gi_  — unable to remove any semblance of clothing due to the obvious presence of Gohan — she'd always been good in the pool, if only because Videl often dragged her swimming when they were younger. " _And then there was that incident with the swimming noodle...._ " Erasa thought, her face reddening in embarrassment as she tried to shake off that terrible memory.  
  
"I have to warn you, however, to watch out for the bull shark," Gohan said darkly, his voice containing an edge to it now, "While I included this exercise at Master Rōshi's suggestion, this is the one time I'll let you back out of it." It was obvious that Gohan was concerned for Erasa's safety. While confident in his own abilities to save her should something go terribly wrong, he also wasn't going to chance it by simply throwing her into a lake and telling her to swim.  
  
" _A bull shark?"_ Erasa contemplated the severity of the situation. Should she jump into the lake with that creature, there was a high chance of being bitten, or worse, eaten, before Gohan could get to her. However, discounting the ocean, where there would be, at worse, different sharks or even poisonous jellyfish, this lake was the best locale to complete an exercise like this.   
  
"I'll do it," Erasa replied firmly, and Gohan nodded firmly. Erasa stood at the shore, tightening the  _obi_  on her  _gi_ , before casting fear to the side and throwing herself into the water, breaking the surface. She relished the feeling of the cold liquid on her body, the sweat washing itself away. Erasa was free to separate the water through her own strokes, propelling herself forward. Kicking lightly, she increased her own speed, the water flowing around her body as she swam through. She took periodically deep inhales as she made her way to the other shore, relatively free of any harm. Clambering out, she waved at Gohan, who waved back, still nervous as Erasa flung herself back into the body of water.  
  


* * *

  
  
"For this exercise, we'll be developing your reflexes," Gohan explained, as he finished tying a knot around Erasa's waist, to a rope which was attached to a large tree. "You'll dodge these incoming attacks within the range of this line of rope."   
  
"What 'enemy'?" Erasa asked, tugging gently on the rope out of curiousity.  
  
"You'll see in a brief second," Gohan replied, snaking around the tree, towards a beehive. Using his own hand, he chopped the hive in half, and quite predictably, a horde of angry, buzzing insects flurried out of it. Within seconds, Gohan had already vanished, reappearing on a boulder three feet away.  
  
"What!? BEES!?" Erasa's shrill cry came from near the tree, and the girl made a mad scramble around, the rope keeping her literally leashed to the tree as the bees descended upon her in a fury.   
  
" _In hindsight, I should have asked if she was allergic to their stings_ , _" G_ ohan mentally scolded himself for that careless action.   
  


* * *

  
"And with that, your day's training is concluded," Gohan replied, clasping his hands together; the bees, having given up on Erasa, had flown off, and in an irritation, the girl ripped the rope in half, pulling the trunk of the tree inward towards her, with Gohan having heard an audible groan from the tree itself.   
  
"Is this the kind of training I'll be doing everyday?" Erasa inquired, inspecting the multiple bee stings that now dotted her body like angry red bumps.   
  
"In a manner of speaking," Gohan replied, reaching into his pocket. "However, this is actually just a warm up to get used to your exercises. For the duration of your training, you'll be doing these same exercises, but with this." He pulled out a Hoi-Poi Capsule, tossing it towards Erasa, who caught it. It exploded in her hand, releasing a large turtle shell from its confines. "This is a 20-kilogram turtle shell; your training will consist of these same exercises, while wearing this shell."  
  
Erasa inspected the object, realizing just how heavy it felt. " _I really am going to be put through the ringer for the next six months..._ " The girl thought with some trepidation as she simply collapsed onto the ground in exhaustion.  
  
Her first day of training was over, and yet she couldn't believe it was going to get more difficult from here.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter was a bit hellish to put out. Not due to the difficulty of writing it, but writing it coincided with so many things. Dentist appointments, activities with my friends, most notably the Miku Expo, which was so awesome, but so distracting. Thankfully, however, I managed to get this chapter up and running and I couldn't be happier. 
> 
> And here's what I realized; my beloved story has hit the double digits! That's right! All of you have witnessed the first double digit chapter of my story, and to everyone whose stuck around this long, thank you. I'm very grateful, as this is my first ever long standing series, so please, continue with me on the rest of this journey!
> 
> I think that's it, actually. There aren't any puns in this chapter that need addressing! Once again, let's thank Mangetsu20, my good friend, for reviewing this chapter and looking it over before I even post it up to you guys, to make sure it's in reading condition. He's such a great help!
> 
> Stay tuned, everyone, for the next exciting chapter of The Erased Chronicles!


	11. The Surprising Saiyan!

The next morning after training, to Gohan's surprise, Erasa was active at the hour of the roosters, and to sate her eagerness, was quick to rise with her.  
  
"I'm surprised," Gohan let a laugh escape his throat as Erasa dragged the turtle shell onto her back, reminiscent of a backpack. "After your training session yesterday, I'd have expected it to be necessary that I drag you out of bed with nothing less than full strength."  
  
"Not a chance," Erasa replied energetically, performing a fist pump in the air, "They always say the first day is the hardest, but now that I've passed the gateway, I'm ready to handle the rest of it!"  
  
"I'm glad you feel so confident, because, from this point on, you'll be continuing these exercises on your own," The Saiyan dropped this bombshell of information without warning.  
  
"These exercises...solo?" Erasa queried slowly, as if trying to process what Gohan had said. He wasn't going to continue coaching her? For some reason, that bothered her. Was it insecurity? Or did she simply want Gohan to continue watching her as she strives to become stronger?  
  
"I won't always be able to hold your hand for everything," Gohan replied firmly, handling the mannerisms of Piccolo without the harshness behind it. "I've laid the groundwork; now you need to walk the rest of this path on your own. As a martial artist, there will be times where you can only rely on your own quick wit and skill to get out of a situation; continuing these exercises without my hand guiding you will steel yourself for moments such at these."  
  
These words hit hard with Erasa, who realised that Gohan was right; if she intended to become stronger, she would need to learn to handle herself, or climbing the proverbial ladder in strength would be a laughable feat.  
  
"You're right, Gohan!" Erasa nodded in affirmation. "I'll do my best!"  
  


* * *

  
 **Elche Island, Elche Island Wilds  
  
** "It's finally time to make good on that promise, Goten," Gohan and Goten had relocated to a secluded portion of Elche Island, an area that resembled Mount Paozu. For the Saiyan siblings, this would be a perfect area for them to train without disturbing the the main inhabitants of the island.   
  
"You're really gonna let me train with you, Gohan!?" Goten exclaimed eagerly, nearly bouncing around in his excitement.   
  
"Of course! A strong training partner like you will be the best way to sharpen my dulled skills," Gohan knew he wouldn't have any chance of facing his father, or even Vegeta now, if he didn't hastily begin training. As much as it pained that repressed, prideful side of himself to admit, he had become weaker in these times of peace — but the Saiyan side of him thirsted for the challenge that only fighting his father and Vegeta could bring.  
  
"I'm ready, I'm ready!" Goten's excitement was only furthered at being called 'strong' by Gohan.  
  
"Calm down, calm down," The older Saiyan sibling couldn't help but already begin to feel tired at Goten's seemingly limitless energy. Why couldn't he have inherited that from Goku as well. "We'll start with some light sparring; so tell me, Goten, do you know what  _kumite_  is?"  
  
"Yeah, yeah!" The younger brother replied. "While you were always so busy doing homework, Mom used to teach me!"  
  
"Mom...taught you?" Gohan blinked in surprise. With everything she put him through, she'd raised Goten in the exact opposite way Gohan himself had been raised. "She really has change a lot since Dad did, hasn't she?" Letting his own thoughts trail off, Gohan took a stance, motioning for Goten to do the same.  
  
Within seconds, the two had vanished, crossing the distance that separated them and meeting in the center with a thunderous boom. The forearms of the two Saiyans met and struggled against each other like locked blades; as much as Gohan didn't want to admit it, the boy seemed even with him, even though this was all but a warm-up.  
  
Gohan swung his leg towards Goten is a swift right kick, but using his small size to his advantage, the boy ducked up his older brother's swinging arc, before leaping upward, slamming his own head into Gohan's torso, pushing him back with great force and briefly stunning him.  
  
"Take this!" The younger Saiyan landed onto the ground before leaping into the air, delivering a sharp snap kick to Gohan's chick, forcing the Saiyan to stagger back. It didn't take long, however, for Gohan to recover, and strike back. His eyes had been locked on Goten the entire assault, and the first thing he'd picked up was Goten's nature as a grounded fighter. After any aerial attack, the boy landed onto the ground before striking again, and that was where Gohan's opening came in.  
  
"Hah!" Gohan ducked to the ground, both hands planted firmly onto the cool grass, extending his leg in a sweeping arc along the ground.  
  
"Uwoah!" A cute cry escaped Goten's throat as he felt himself  thrown off balance, Gohan's foot upsetting the boy's own footing. In a remarkable feat, however, Goten to flip himself backwards as he tumbled to the ground, before Gohan could follow up his own attack, and gained a bit of distance from his older brother.  
  
" _I can't fly like Gohan, so a real match is super tough_ ," The younger Saiyan thought, a bead of sweat dripping down his scalp. In truth, Goten had never had a real match, beyond 'playing' with Trunks in their skirmishes that tended to destroy most of Dr. Briefs' million-Zeni garden. If he could have seen his face in the mirror, he'd have seen a smile on it; a sign of his Saiyan blood responding to the rising challenge of Gohan as a competitor.  
  
" _I didn't expect Goten to be so strong,_ "Gohan lamented his failed counterattack as he mentally praised his younger brother. " _He's only seven but he's far stronger than I was at his age. If I don't keep up, he may wind up being the strongest person on the planet!_ "  
  
"Hey, Gohan, can I show you a secret?" Goten asked, calling out to his older brother.  
  
"Hm?" The elder Saiyan blinked in surprise at the sudden request. "Um, sure buddy, go ahead."  
  
Goten took a stance, essentially a glorified squat, over the ground, clenching his fists as his  _ki_  began to build up. The ground around him began to shake and crack under the force of the boy's  _ki_  pressure. Dust and rubble kicked up as the boy's hair began to stand on end; his eyes changed themselves from a dark onyx to a vibrant, polished emerald. A guttural growl escaped the boy's throat as the feeling of surging  _ki_  flowed through his body; the energy proceeded to burst out, creating a fiery, raging golden aura.  
  
" _He can't be...!_ " Gohan thought in shock, the dust and debris flowing around him as he watched his younger brother power up.  
  
"HAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!" A mighty cry roared from Goten, shaking the earth entirely as he was immersed in a violent flash of yellow light. When the explosion of luminescence died down, it was exactly as Gohan had predicted; Goten stood before him, surrounded by violent golden aura flowing upwards like flames. His eyes were a bright emerald, and his hair, formerly black, now stood on end, shining as golden as his  _ki.  
  
_ "Amazing....Goten, you're a Super Saiyan!" Gohan breathed, awestruck at the sight of his younger brother enveloped in the golden light that signified a Saiyan's transformation into their next stage. "How did this happen!? When did this happen!? Does Mom know!?"  
  
"Wait...what's a Super Saiyan?" Goten blanked out at everything Gohan was saying, as the boy, in truth, had no idea about the power he was using.  
  
"You...You can become a Super Saiyan...but you don't know what it is...?" Gohan sounded exasperated at this point, as if shock was piling up and becoming too much for him. "Oh boy...I've never had to do this before. How do I explain 'Super Saiyan' to you?" It took Gohan a second to realize that, if his little brother was anything like their dad, actions spoke louder than words. "Alright Goten, watch this."  
  
"Watching!" Goten replied with gusto, pumping his fist into the air.  
  
Gohan took a deep breath, and there was only the slightest flash of pale yellow light before his hair erupted into a shining shock of golden tresses, his eyes, formerly a deep onyx, shone a deep, rich green. He flexed his hands and muscles, enjoying the sensation of his Full-Powered Super Saiyan state, despite the fact that Satan City ran him ragged through this form.  
  
"That's so cool, Gohan!" Goten jumped, squeeing like a little girl as his eyes shone with excitement. "You can become blonde too!"  
  
"It's not referred to as 'becoming blonde'," Gohan quickly reprimanded the boy, as the term made him think too much of when his mother first reacted to his Super Saiyan form. If memory served, she'd panicked, called him a punk, and started crying about where her 'baby boy' went, "we refer to this form as a 'Super Saiyan', Goten."  
  
"A Super Saiyan...?" Goten quizzically looked at his brother, his finger on his lip in confusion. "Does that make you a superman?"   
  
"No no no no," Gohan raised his hands up defensively, "nothing like that." The teenage Saiyan wished there was something like a handbook on Saiyans to make this explanation for Goten easier; he wasn't the type for long winded explanations. "If I had to shorten it, the Super Saiyan form is a form we can undergo that makes us stronger for a brief period of time. Can you understand that?"  
  
"Yeah, that's easy!" Goten nodded.   
  
"This is just so surprising," Gohan continued, his hands at his side as he stood at full height, "you're a natural at this, Goten. And yet I had to work so hard to become a Super Saiyan...and you don't want to get me started on Vegeta; if he saw this, he'd be livid."  
  
"Is it bad?" The younger Saiyan nervously inquired.  
  
"It's not bad, far from it!" Gohan assured his younger brother, waving frantically. Unlike his mother, Gohn wasn't averse to the idea of a Super Saiyan; what he was confused was how Goten had achieved it. "Tell me, Goten, how did this happen? You becoming a Super Saiyan, I mean?"  
  
"Um...it was kind of a flash of anger," Goten admitted. "I can't swim, and I was drowning; I got scared, and angry, and it just...happened."

* * *

  
 **Base of Mt. Paozu, Previous Year  
** "Faster, faster Kinto'un!" Goten was clinging to the Son Family's heirloom cloud like his life depended on it, the ball of yellow fluff rocketing throughout the sky. With his eyes wide open despite the wind pressure, the energetic Saiyan child took in the vast scenery of Mt. Paozu. This was the first time Gohan had ever let him use Kinto'un, and the boy, unable to fly on his own, eagerly took the cloud for  joyride.  
  
"Woohoo!" He cheered, waving an arm in the air in his own excitement. Never before had he experienced the feeling of a 'bird's-eye view'; to see everything from the perspective of the sky was truly a feeling of elation for this child. He'd always been jealous of how Trunks would gloat about being able to fly around in the world in only a few short minutes — regularly at that, and he kept bragging about beating his own records. Unable to find time to have his brother teach him, due to the older Saiyan's studies, Goten finally had to make do with the Kinto'un, a magical cloud Gohan said their father used to own.  
  
"Kint'oun, go faster!" The boy urged, pressing on the cloud. As if responding to the energy level the cloud remembered from its first owner, the fluff ball was spurred on, leaving its yellow vapor trail behind it as it moved. "Now spin!!" In the heat of the moment, Goten gave the cloud this new order, and eager to please, Kinto'un did several spiral turns in the air.   
  
And that was when the accident had happened.   
  
The sudden rotation caused Goten to lose his own slackening grip, and the boy found himself suspended in mid-air, before gravity took over. He felt a rush of air upward, with Goten accelerating faster and faster as he was propelled to the Earth. At first, Goten wasn't worried; he'd suffered worse accidents than this, even when he fell from the pterodactyl's nest into the cravine higher up on the mountain.  
  
Until he saw his destination; roaring white rapids rushing down along a swift river. The boy hit the water hard, submerged in a frigid liquid. Despite the collision with the river stinging worse than any injury he had received since, Goten's half-Saiyan heritage acted as a shield, and the boy didn't die on impact. The issue, however, was something different, and it only hit Goten when he surfaced, gasping for air as the rapids carried him downstream.   
  
He had never learned to swim.  
  
"Mom!" Goten cried out before being swept under again, his cries being muffled by the freshwater filling his mouth. Surfacing again, he was treading water now, gasping raggedly. "Gohan!! Mr. Piccolo!!" Terrified and desperate, Goten was calling for anybody that he could, shouting for someone to help him as the rapids swept him away. Tears, mixed with riverwater, trailed down his face, as a new realization, different from desperation, filled his entire being.  
  
He didn't want to die. He wanted to survive.   
  
With a flash of anger and indignation at himself, Goten felt a surge of power flow through himself. His onyx eyes flashed a brilliant green, and his hair, darker than ebony before, stood on end and shone a gold as bright as a being of divinity. His  _ki_ , formerly bottled and contained in his tiny body, roared forth, pushing the waves and rapids away, splitting the river in half; Goten descended slowly onto the riverbed, which was now dry land. His tears were flowing upwards with his aura, his breath ragged but steadying.   
  
" _I'm alright...?_ " He thought, feeling his now sopping wet body to check his own well-being. The feeling of power surging through him also created a large feeling of relief. His aura, gargantuan and furious, kept the waters at bay, and Goten made one final realization.  
  
He'd saved himself. 

* * *

  
"So that's how it happened..." Gohan was stunned; he remembered that day last year, where Goten had come home on the Kinto'un, soaked to the bone and red-eyed as if he'd been crying. He'd only told his mother and Gohan that he'd fallen into the water, so they hadn't suspected a thing. "Sorry I wasn't there, Goten."  
  
"But I'm fine now, Gohan!" Goten assured him, wearing a grin that only a child could have. "And I'm even stronger now!"  
  
"Ha ha...you're right, aren't you?" The teen agreed with his brother, and he settled into a stance. "So, let me see what you can do, little bro, as a Super Saiyan!"  
  
"Right!" Goten crowed, launching into a violent spin kick that Gohan blocked with his wrist, the impact pushing him back slightly. Following his own attacks, the younger Super Saiyan proceeded to propel himself in a flurry of combo kicks that Gohan had to block with his palms. Their fight was becoming more energetic, and Gohan was retreating, Goten keeping him on guard as they trailed up the side of a mountain, parrying each other's blows.  
  
Gohan responded to Goten's attacks with a swift kick from his left leg, with Goten succeeded in blocking with his left arm. Pushing forward, Goten flipped downwards using Gohan's leg as a ground, slamming an axe kick down onto Gohan's skull; he thrust his arm forward in an open palm strike. Gohan quickly blocked with both hands, and grabbed Goten by the wrists.  
  
"Sorry little bro; time for the coup de grâce!" With overwhelming force, he threw Goten into the distance. The power behind his older brother's blow created enough air pressure to keep Goten was stopping his own movement. Gohan rocketed forward, lifting himself up into the air with flight and pursuing his brother. With the speed only an adult Saiyan could achieve, he closed the distance between himself and Goten in seconds, and raised his arm to land the finishing blow.  
  
"N-no cheating!" Goten cried, thrusting his left arm forward. From the palm of his hand, he released a powerful blast of yellow energy.  
  
Surprised at the  _ki_  blast, Gohan acted quickly, catching the super-heated plasma in the palm of his hand and throwing it off in another direction. This was all Goten needed to spiral to the ground, skidding along the grass to a complete stop, looking up at his older brother to flash an offended glare.   
  
"What was that about, Goten!?" Gohan called down. "You didn't tell me we were using blasts now!"  
  
"You cheated!" The younger Super Saiyan accused, jabbing his finger up torwards Gohan as he puffed his cheeks out. "You were flying; I can't fly, so it's not fair!"  
  
"You really...can't fly?" Gohan's voice cracked; he almost felt himself creak forward in exasperation. His younger brother could become a Super Saiyan but couldn't fly? "Whatever happened to doing things in order? I called you a Super Saiyan, but you're more like a Super Pedestrian!"  
  
"A super what!?" A very offended Goten shouted.  
  
"Calm down, calm down," Gohan descended to the ground, holding his hands up in defence, "how about this, Goten? Let's cut sparring short here, and I'll teach you how to fly."  
  
"You will!? For real!?" exclaimed the younger Saiyan, who was unable to hold in his own excitement.

* * *

  
 **Other World,** **Grand Kai's Planet  
  
** _Drip. Drip. Drip._  With his body feeling completely wrecked; sweat beading onto his forehead, dripping down his chin and arms, his breathing harsh, Goku felt completely wrecked as he fell to his knees in exhaustion. Glancing upwards, he saw nothing but a deep, jagged trench for several miles ahead, and it took him a second to remember this new formation in the Grand Kai's holy planet had been a result of him.  
  
"Goku!" The husky voice of the pudgy North Kaiō attracted Goku's attention as the blue-skinned god made his way over to his pupil, feeling of mixture of concern and amazement. "That was...remarkable! I didn't know you were capable of such power!"  
  
"Trust me, North Kaiō, it doesn't feel quite so remarkable from my perspective..." Goku replied, unable to keep himself up anymore and simply collapsed onto the ground in exhaustion. "I haven't felt this low on energy since my first fight with Vegeta...I think I need to rest for a minute."  
  
"For the North Kaiō's pride and joy, you certainly aren't a reliable fighter!" West Kaiō, a monocle-wearing, purple-skinned Shin-jin, and the North Kaiō's personal 'rival', snidely remarked. "You utterly wreck my prized Pikkon, and the most you can do is collapse on your rear without a hint of concern?"  
  
"Well, I..." In all honesty, Goku was feeling far too tired to put up any sort of an argument right now. He'd never used that much power on anyone before, and the fact that it drained all of his energy, even the supposed 'infinite energy' of the dead in one fell swoop, was what made it truly shocking and exhausting towards his own body.  
  
"West Kaio, if I be defeated that quickly with a blow like that from Goku, I'd have to kill myself in shame," A green-skinned alien, who could easily be mistaken for Piccolo at first sight, clambered out of the rubble that Goku had created, dusting himself off. His clothing was damaged beyond utility; his  _gi_  overcoat had been destroyed, the cylindrical hat he typically wore had shattered, and both his white pant leggings were ripped and his blue shirt shredded in its entirely, revealing muscles to rival that of the Saiyan that lay exhausted.   
  
"I think we're already there, Pikkon," Forcing himself to sit upright, despite the exhaustion, Goku gestured towards the halos that adorned his head and Pikkon's, laughing weakly.  "I'm surprised you're actually standing. Though I wouldn't have gone all out against you if I hadn't known you could taken it."   
  
"My species are remarkably durable," Pikkon replied offhandedly, and true to this claim, his own body, while scarred with fresh wounds and mild burns, lacked the degree of damage that would be expected from the full brunt of Goku's attack. "Although I have to say, Goku, you're never short of surprises. To think you could contain that astonishing power in your own unimpressive frame..."  
  
"To be honest, I didn't know I could do that," Goku replied, showing off his own achievements through the sheer ignorance of the actual method. "I merely applied another theory I'd discovered back in the World of the Living, while I was training to fight Cell. As I expected, the result was far more catastrophic...to use all of my energy for one singular attack..." He laughed, scratching the back of his head in a relaxed manner.   
  
"Do you think you're ready, then?" Pikkon inquired seriously, crossing his arms as he looked down at his worn-out rival. "For that Tenka'ichi Budōkai on your home planet?"  
  
"I'm as ready as I'll ever be," Goku replied, grinning, "it gives me chills; the thought of facing Gohan and Vegeta again."  
  


* * *

  
 **West City, Capsule Corp, Gravity Chamber  
  
** "Three....hundred...three...hundred...one....three....hundred....two...." Trunks strained as he was performing his three-hundredth set of one-finger push-ups.  Sweat dripped from the boy's body, pooling down onto the ground as he forced himself to break his own limits. Not one to back down from a challenge, Trunks wanted to enter the Tenka'ichi Budōkai as well, and fight Goten.  
  
His father, Vegeta, the Prince of all Saiyans, was casting his son sideglances as he performed his own training. " _Incredible!_ " The man thought, pausing briefly to wipe sweat from his brow. " _To think the boy I dragged into this very chamber could barely keep himself from lying on the ground is now easily completing a three hundred set of push ups. On his index fingers no less!_ "   
  
Of course, Vegeta knew this result would only be a matter of time; the boy was his own child, after all, and nothing less than stellar results should be expected from his royal blood.  
  
And yet Vegeta remembered a time when Trunks had given him a bigger shock than even this; a moment that made him proud, if even for a moment, to call the boy his son.  
  


* * *

  
 **West City, Capsule Corp, Gravity Chamber, The Previous Year**  
  
"Pick up the slack boy! Your future counterpart wasn't nearly this soft!" An angered Vegeta, embittered by his son's poor performance in their sparring match no minutes prior, was currently on the warpath. The death of Kakarot — colloquially referred to as 'Goku' by his Earthling companions — had not dampened the Saiyan Prince's drive to be superior. In fact, it only caused him to channel it through Trunks, his son, in the hopes the boy would become stronger than Kakarot's youngest son, Goten; the spitting image of his father, almost as if the man continued to mock him from the land of the dead. "I'm beginning to think your mother has turned you into a weakling!"  
  
Trunks was currently lying flat on his back, his body succumbing the gravity of the chamber his grandfather had built, as well as the thorough beating his own father had applied to his being in their brief skirmish. In short, Trunks' body ached from muscle to bone. "I-I'm...trying, Dad...really!"  
  
"Then try harder!" Vegeta swung his arm in irritation, growling at his only son. "If Kakarot's brat Gohan could handle being a Super Saiyan at only year older than you  _and_ mastering it, then my own flesh and blood should be able to do the same!"  
  
"S-Stop it-!" The lavender-tressed child protested.  
  
"This was a waste of time," Vegeta continued, his voice still thick with rage. "Here I thought you'd at least amount to something being my son, but you're nothing compared to the man who came from the futur-"  
  
"STOP IT!" Trunks' voice was louder this time, his eyes watering as he snarled at his own father.  
  
It was Vegeta's turn to snarl, "What was that, boy?!"  
  
"STOP...COMPARING...ME...TO EVERYONE ELSE!!" The boy shakily got to his feet, his body quivering with rage as golden tendrils of energy danced around his body. His hair, long like his mother's, began flourishing upwards, flashing from golden to lavender and then golden again. His blue eyes pierced his father's own, before they transformed into a vivid green.   
  
"I'M NOT YOU, DAD! AND I'M NOT GOHAN, EITHER!" His voice reached a fever pitch as his own repressed rage began to boil to the surface. "SO STOP LOOKING DOWN AT MEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!!" A brilliant flash of golden light erupted around him, creating a blazing aura of golden energy that shook the entirety of the chamber, cracking the tile flooring.  
  
" _I don't believe it!_ " The Saiyan Prince thought in shock as he witnessed what should have been a technical impossibility before his eyes. " _That boy...he's actually done it!_ " Vegeta was caught off guard very quickly, however, when Trunks launched himself towards his father in a rage.  
  
"RAAAAAAAAAAAAH!!!" Letting out a mighty bellow, Trunks lunged forward at Vegeta in a rage, unleashing a flurry of rage-infused punches, all aimed directly at the Saiyan Prince's face.   
  
With his fighting instincts taking over, Vegeta inclined his head to the left, right, and backwards repeatedly, nimbly avoidng every blow from his now transformed son, his mouth agape in shock. -" _The boy...he's actually pressuring me...he's barely awakened this state and he has this much power?! Incredible!_ " Slipping under Trunk's guard, the older Saiyan threw a crushing punch to his son's stomach, holding back enough not to break any ribs.   
  
With a sharp exhale, Trunks' lungs were emptied of air; the rush of power faded as his hair reverted from gold, to pale white, and then finally lavender once more, his eyes closing as darkness overtook him. Letting the boy fall to the ground, Vegeta began to evaluate his own priorities.  
  
" _Astounding!_ " Vegeta's thoughts flashed quickly to his son's transformation and brief show of immense power. " _To transform while so young and put on such an impressive display. Sleep well, son; whe_ _n you wake, I intend to grind every ounce of power out of you._ "  
  


* * *

  
"Three...hundred....fifteen..." Trunks, unaware of his father's lapse in focus, was still straining himself to complete four hundred sets of push-ups.  
  
"Trunks." Vegeta said shortly, causing Trunks to look up at his father. This simple action distracted the boy enough to throw off his balance, causing him to fall and hit his chin directly. "You can finish your set again from the beginning later'enter your Super Saiyan state, and spar with me. I want to see how well your skills have been polished since last time."  
  
"I don't really think I'm ready for that, Dad," Trunks was quick to refuse, standing up and rubbing his now stinging chin, "we all know you'd wipe the floor with me."  
  
"Quit your whining, boy!" Vegeta snarled, but after seeing all this did was make Trunks flinch on reflex, he sighed in frustration. "Alright, let's cut a deal then. If you think you can't take me, I'll make it simple; land one blow to my head within three minutes. If you can manage this, we'll cut training short for today and I'll take you to the amusement park."  
  
"You!? Really!?" Trunks couldn't help but get excited; when it came to his father, training was usually the most quality time they spent with each other. To Vegeta, any moment not spent training was a moment wasted, and the most Trunks could remember his father doing outside of training was eating in front of the television, and even then only because both activities worked well together.  
  
"Alright then!" With relative ease, Trunks unleashed his power; a flaming golden aura enveloped him as his purple-tresses stood on end before transforming into vibrant, golden locks. His eyes changed from blue to green as the boy took a stance. With a smirk that only childish innocence could have, the prodigy child took  a stance, before leaping towards Vegeta, delivering a swift kick to the side of his head.  
  
The elder Saiyan parried with ease, blocking the boy's strike with his forearm, only to be caught off-guard when the boy hooked his ankle around his father's wrist, swinging forward with the ease of a pendulum to slam his right leg into Vegeta's skull. Quickly relying on his other arm to deflect, Vegeta released a spherical barrier of  _ki_  to deflect Trunks, before going on the offensive.   
  
Grunting from the shockwave of the barrier's contact with his small frame, Trunks bounced on the ground once from the force. His eyes widened and nearly buggered as he saw his father's foot rush down towards his own head. Using ends of his fingers he grasped the floor's surface behind his head and flipped himself in the nick of time to avoid a powerful stomp that rattled the ground below.   
  
After flipping for the fifth time in the air, the tips of his sneakers graced the ground before he'd rush at his father again. Rushing forward with his head cocked in front like a battering ram, it was easy for Vegeta to read the telegraphed move and raise an arm to block. Seeing that caused a devious grin to spread across Trunks face. Pushing his arms down before his father could blink with query to his smug visage, Trunks waited until the last second to jettison himself up and over his dad's flame formed hair.   
  
Turning on his heels, Vegeta narrowly bent his head away form the flip kick of his son's heels. While he didn't feel a full hit connect, he did notice a light scuff of the sole scratch his forehead, causing him to grimace and gape in shock. Seeing his son turn around in the air to hit his father while his guard was down, Vegeta deftly sprung to the left, allowing his child to hit the floor of the Gravity Chamber with a loud crash.  
  
"Owwww," Trunks rubbed his head as he sat upwards, feeling the failure to decelerate in time remind him over his throbbing skull, "that hurt..."  
  
" _It wasn't a hit but he certainly made contact on me. Can't believe it only took him this long in order to land a blow, even if it was a glancing one. This boy has more of me in him than I gave him credit for,_ " Vegeta thought as he relaxed his stance. Standing tall he exhaled slowly and breathed in just as purposely, causing the shine of his aura to dim, revealing only pale blonde locks and blue eyes to signify his continued use of the transformation.  
  
"Huh? What's up, Dad?" Trunks asked, lowering his hands from his bruised head, looking up curiously at his imposing father.   
  
"Get cleaned and dressed up. I'm taking you to the amusement park," Vegeta said in a curt tone, one not open for negotiation or questioning.  
  
"Really?! Awesome!" Trunks pumped his arms, as a wide smile stretched across his face. Almost all at once his own transformation faded, his legs quickly rushing to the exit of the chamber while grabbing a tower from the side of the door.  
  
" _He probably doesn't even know he hit me. Hmph! What drives that boy is definitely not my blood,_ " Vegeta thought bemusingly as he shook his head, grasping a towel off the chamber's rack, proceeding to shut it off with readiness, " _but I cannot deny his talent. One day he'll be stronger than I, regardless of what I think of him. Perhaps he'll even surpass anything Kakarot's brat has. I'll guarantee that it happens, without a doubt!_ "  
  


* * *

  
 **Elche Island, Elche Island Wilds, Late-Afternoon  
  
** "Look at me, Gohan!" Goten crowed. In just the few short hours since Gohan had cut their sparring short to teach the boy how to fly, he'd gotten quite the handle on the basics of flight. As Goten had a natural skill at using  _ki_ , that came with his Saiyan heritage, floating became second nature and he was now trying to make a game out of how high he could float. His current record was 32 kilometers in the air, but he kept trying to push it.  
  
"Don't go too high, Goten!" The older Saiyan called out, floating upwards to meet his younger brother. "You're really showing record speed, little bro, but I'd rather not lose you somewhere in the ozone layer, so why don't we call it quits for today?"  
  
"Awww...." Goten pouted as both he and Goten descended to to the grassy earth, breathing in the crisp air as they finally got their well-deserved break.   
  
"I think Erasa should be finishing her training around this time as well, so let's go check in on her," suggested Gohan, ruffling the boy's hair. Out of the corner of his eye, Gohan saw something that made him stop; a glint of sunlight reflecting on glass, the sign of a hovercraft making its way towards them.  
  
" _Who could possibly be on their way he-_ " Gohan thought, before his eyes made out the girl in the cockpit. It was Videl. "...Please tell me she didn't."  
  
"Is something wrong, Gohan?" Goten inquired curiously.   
  
"No, nothing..." Gohan lied quickly. "Let's head back to the house. A girl from my high-school is going to be down there to see me." Immediately detecting a problem with Goten and Videl meeting, the teenage Saiyan immediately issued a quick warning, "Goten, whatever you do, don't show Videl how strong you are, and try to avoid turning Super Saiyan around her."  
  
Goten agreed, and the two Saiyan siblings began to run through the thick wilds, making their way down to the spherical Son home. Gohan's thoughts were preoccupied with Vide's persistence. Did she actually bother to come all the way out to Elche Island just to force him to make good on his promise? A better question was how she'd found them to begin with.   
  
Gohan hoped avoiding flight would work to their advantage, but he was proven mistaken when he saw the hovercraft land outside their home. Coming out into the clearing, Gohan hear the click of the bubble shield and saw Videl slide out of the cockpit.  
  
 _KA-BOOM!_  
  
The ebony-tressed woman reverted the plane back into its Hoi-Poi Capsule, and she placed it in the case, turning around to see Gohan and Goten making their way over towards her.   
  
"Hi..." Gohan said weakly, immediately picking up the sharp scent of confrontation he'd always detected around Videl. She was obviously not pleased.  
  
"Hi!?" The girl snarled, Gohan jumping back almost immediately in response. "You promised to teach me how to fly, didn't you? So imagine how stupid I looked when I showed up at your house, fully expecting you to be there and keep your word, and I find that your ''entire home is gone''!"  
  
"I-I can't explain!" Gohan offered immediately, but Videl cut him off.  
  
"No need to bother," She snapped, her piercing sapphire eyes filled with irritation, "I spoke with Mark, and he told me all about your and Erasa's little 'training' trip. So, I told my Dad I was going to spend the next few weeks at Erasa's home — technically, I didn't lie — cleared everything with the school, and I proceeded to fly out here. You're not avoiding me that easily, Gohan!"  
  
Gohan let out a defeated sigh; if he had to give Videl credit for not only finding his house, but then following him all the way out of this remote island in that hovercraft. "How am I going to explain something like this to Erasa...?"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Whoo boy! This chapter! I'm surprised I managed to get this chapter out so quick; it only took a week and four days. I was actually really hyped to begin this chapter, which is probably why I got it out so quick. And why is that? Because I got to show GOKU! While this story may be about Gohan, Goku is my childhood hero, so of course I'd be excited. Also, let me explain something really quick; I may have included Pikkon, but that's only because I like him. When it comes to the afterlife, I adhere firmly to the fact that denizens of Hell do NOT receive bodies. Thus, as far as my story is concerned, Pikkon's little journey to Hell to kill Frieza and everyone did not happen. 
> 
> The funny thing is this was originally intended to just focus on Gohan and Goten; only after talking with Demo20 did I decide to go this new route, showing literally every available Saiyan as they prepared for the Tenka'ichi Budōkai. This chapter was originally just going to include Goten, Videl, Erasa, and Gohan and be done with it, but I'm glad I took this different route. Also, you have no idea how long I've delayed Goten's Super Saiyan reveal; two chapters, TWO CHAPTERS ago is when I wanted to show this scene. As you can see, unlike Toriyama, who simply said "Oh, both boys are Super Saiyans" and expected us to swallow that, I've provided reasons! Whether or not you choose to believe those reason is on you but it is better than "Hey, it happened".
> 
> I think that's it, actually. There aren't any puns in this chapter that need addressing! Once again, let's thank Mangetsu20, my good friend, for reviewing this chapter, helping me brainstorm, and looking it over before I even post it up to you guys, to make sure it's in reading condition. He's such a great help!
> 
> Stay tuned, everyone, for the next exciting chapter of The Erased Chronicles!


	12. The Devil's Initiative

**Son Residence, Early Morning, The Following Day  
  
** If Gohan's life could get any more complicated, he wasn't going to tempt Dende by asking him to try. After Videl had arrived at Elche Island, the teenage Saiyan had managed to convince Videl to sleep elsewhere on the island for the night to avoid having to explain anything to Chi-Chi. However, Videl was  _exactly_  like Chi-Chi, and she arrived at their home at five in the morning — mercifully, after Erasa had woken up and gotten started training — to demand they begin.  
  
"You're going to be the death of me, you know that?" Gohan quipped bitterly as he opened the door to let the ebony-tressed girl.  
  
"I'm only ensuring you keep your part of our deal,  _Golden Fighter_ ," Videl stressed that last four syllables with a sly smile on her face. "You teach me how to fly, and Satan City's mystery Superman remains a mystery to everyone but Erasa and me."  
  
Gohan couldn't help but grit his teeth in frustration at Videl. Running a hand through his hair, he led Videl into the kitchen, and they were soon met with a rich, earthy aroma; the scent of brewing coffee. "Would you like any?" Gohan gestured to the brew, determined to be at the very least hospitable to his unwelcome guest.   
  
"Sure," Videl replied, pulling out one of the wooden chairs at the table and sitting in it, inclining backwards.   
  
" _When I think about it, Gohan's actually cute when he's visibly frustrated,_ " Videl thought to herself, a slight blush creeping up her cheeks as Gohan busied himself irritably over the kitchen sink, gently filling a cup with the vigor of an angry adult human. " _W-Wait, what I am thinking!? This is the guy stealing Erasa from me and making a mockery of justice in my own city! Focus, Videl, remember why you're here!_ "  
  
Gohan poured the coffee into the mug, the steam created an odd feeling of warmth at this early hour. "Cream and sugar?" He asked in an off-hand manner.   
  
"Black," was Videl's simple reply.  
  
With a shrug, Gohan took the mug to Videl, who drank it with something resembling gratitude. He then took a seat as well, and the two sat across from each other in the most awkward silence —  the blackmailer and her victim. If Videl had astute hearing, she would have been able to hear the gears in Gohan's head turning, formulating a way to introduce this new girl to his mother.   
  
The sound of footsteps, however, told Gohan that he didn't need to plan, and that Dende had a very sick sense of humor.   
  
"Gohan, are you in there?" Chi-Chi's voice sounded from the doorway, Gohan turned to see his mother standing there in a flowery pink morning kimono, with a light blue towel wrapped around her head. The scent of shampoo wafted around, telling him she'd just come out of the shower; the towel must have been to dry her hair.  
  
"Hi mo-," Gohan began, only to be cut off by Videl.   
  
"Hello, Mrs. Son," Videl smiled, making a polite, brief bow. "I'm sorry for the sudden intrusion, but Gohan failed to give me the correct address. I was going to come with you all to train, but I had some issues I had to take care of first." This was true enough; the injuries Videl had sustained when she attempted to stop those two thieves in her exhausted state had been severe. The fact that she was up and moving now was a miracle; and then there was a miracle that she'd avoided something far, far worse.  
  
Before Gohan could even acknowledge the two-faced nature of this girl, he saw his own mother's draw jaw in brief surprise before she gathered her composure and steeled a polite smile onto her face.  
  
" _Birds of a feather_ ," Gohan thought bitterly, seeing Chi-Chi fall right into Videl's trap.  
  
"Oh, of course!" Chi-Chi replied with a cheerful façade that she reserved for guests. "I'm so sorry my son was so thoughtless," She flashed Gohan a very brief glare that went entirely unnoticed by Videl, causing Gohan to shrink back on reflex.   
  
"Oh believe me, I know all about Gohan's less than thoughtful nature," Videl immediately took to Chi-Chi's polite and coddling nature, sneering at Gohan over her shoulder, away from Chi-Chi's prying, onyx orbs, "especially when it comes to prioritizing over someone else's friends."  
  
"Does that mean you're friends with Erasa?" Chi-Chi inquired.   
  
"That's right," Videl turned away from Gohan, who sighed in relief. "Is she here?"  
  
"No, she's currently out training. Do you want to join her?" Chi-Chi replied.  
  
Videl flashed a sugary sweet smile, one that Gohan immediately knew was false, even if she did genuinely appreciate Chi-Chi's warm reception. "I will in a bit, but first I'll just put away my things-"  
  
"There's no need to worry about that," Chi-Chi pointed in the direction of her room with a generous sweeping gesture, "you can always sleep with me and Erasa in my bed. We have plenty of room."  
  
"I appreciate the offer, Mrs. Son. but," the younger girl pulled out a capsule case, revealing a yellow capsule," I've already brought my own futon to sleep on. I'll just sleep near your bed, if you don't mind that arrangement."  
  
"Not at all," The mother smiled and nodded, giving the girl brief directions to her room, "take as much time as you need."  
  
"Thank you for your hospitality, Mrs. Son," Videl gave another polite bow, and this time, she smiled with sincerity behind it, crisply walking past them, heading towards Chi-Chi's bedroom down the hall to unpack her own things.  
  
When Chi-Chi was relatively sure Videl was out of ear shot, she turned to her son, and when she spoke, it was far too sweet, "Gohan~?"  
  
With an intense feeling of dread, Gohan turned to Chi-Chi, giving her his full attention. "Y-Yes, Mom?"  
  
Chi-Chi leaned in towards her son, lowering her voice to a sharp whisper, "Why are you juggling between two girls' hearts?! Why didn't you tell me?!"  
  
"Easy, mom! She's a friend," Gohan held up his hands defensively. Upon realizing he'd said the word friend, however a grimace crossed his face, "well, she's more like Erasa's friend whom we were trying to be distant from. She's been acting a bit...crazy at school."  
  
"I don't want to hear it," The mother of two jabbed her finger at her eldest son, "a proper gentleman is to greet his guests with dignity and kindness. Excluding poor Videl was likely to make things worse, now wasn't it?"  
  
Unwilling to start an argument, Gohan conceded to his mother's forceful demands with a simple, "Yes, Mom."  
  


* * *

  
 **Elche Island, Elche Island Wilds**  
  
After Videl had finished unpacking, she, Gohan, and Goten met up outside the Son home, in the wilds of Elche Island. Gohan was beginning to experience a very vivid case of déjà vu; it hadn't been that long since 'flying class' was in session with him as the teacher. The only difference here was two things; the students, and Gohan's level of enthusiasm.   
  
"While my teaching credentials aren't the best," Gohan began with some trepidation; Videl was staring daggers at him, and it hardly did well for the young man's attitude at the moment, "teaching the both of you to fly shouldn't be too hard. Goten, you were already making basic progress, so hang back for a moment, while Videl draws out her  _ki._ "  
  
" _Ki_?" Videl flashed Gohan a look of stubborn confusion, masking Goten's groan of dissent. Videl didn't like to sound stupid; she'd heard of 'ki' before, if only vaguely. The term was well known in martial arts, but at the same time, her father, Mr. Satan, was becoming equally well known for trying to dismiss the existence of latent energy off as a hoax and a trick. The masses, crowding around her showboat father like sheep, took the bait hook, line, and sinker. As such, she hadn't put much stock into the term, and hadn't bothered any further research into it. "Isn't this  _ki_  thing just a trick; you know, explosions, mirrors, and whatnot?"   
  
"No, it isn't a trick, every bit of it is real," Gohan assured, stressing the point because he knew this was going to become very frustrating, very fast. Though, he had to assume all humans were different; Erasa had simply gone with the flow. Videl was very stubborn and unlikely to take a viewpoint from another person without the evidence being clearly on display.  
  
"I don't believe anything is genuine without some kind of proof," Videl snapped, becoming frustrated at only receiving words from Gohan. "Show me this  _ki_  if you want me to believe it's anything more than a parlor trick!"  
  
With an exasperated sigh, Gohan raised a hand towards one of the boulder's that littered the area. He couldn't understand why she needed proof; she'd seen everything that the 'Golden Fighter' was capable of, but if she pressed the matter, he would at least deliver. Focusing his  _ki_ , a soft glow enveloped his palm, forming a sphere of white energy with a vibrant yellow outline. With a flash, he released this discharge of energy from his person; the superheated plasma made contact with the rock, destroying it utterly.   
  
"...." Videl was stunned speechless; her eyes wider than saucers as small fragments of rock flew in their direction from the resulting explosion.  
  
" _Ki_ is like that," Gohan explained, happy to have finally provided Videl with 'proof' solid enough to render her silent, if only for a moment. "Every living being has it, and for those who can harness it, we can use it to perform feats beyond normal humans. My ability to fly, among several other abilities, all come from my  _ki_."  
  
"So I need this... _ki_...nonsense to fly?" Videl leaned in, her sharp stare piercing.  
  
"It's not nonsense, and yes, you do need it," Gohan replied, scratching his head in frustration, "I can show you, but it won't be easy. Learning how to use your own  _ki_  is easier when you start as a child; but since you've been doing martial arts all your life, you may find this easier than most."  
  
"Stop beating around the bush already, and  _show me_ ," Videl pressed the matter by quite literally pressing her finger into Gohan's muscled chest, glaring at him as if she wanted to give new meaning to the phrase 'if looks could kill'.   
  
"I'm getting to it," Gohan replied, sitting down on the grass cross-legged, and indicating Videl do the same. As Goten tried to capture a butterfly in the background with a net he'd procured from somewhere, Gohan cupped his hands in front of Videl, deciding to use the same method he'd used with Erasa to introduce the aspect of drawing out one's  _ki._  
  
"Watch me," Gohan insisted, and Videl heeded him, keeping sapphire orbs locked on Gohan with genuine curiosity.   
  
"When manifesting your  _ki_ , you have to empty your thoughts and meditate on what's within. If you sense that heat build up at the core of your being, focus on it! Drag it all out with your will and then concentrate on that furnace of warmth within. When you start pulling it out, do so delicately, and draw it up as best as you can,"  A dim, blue light began to shimmer between the space of Gohan's open palms. It coalesced as it gained mass, shape, and rotation, as if forming a structure akin to a miniature star using Will alone, "when you do that, you form the energy that's called,  _ki_."  
  
"This is  _ki_..." Videl murmured, utterly entranced by the floating sphere she saw before her. Unlike the energy blast Gohan had released less than a minute ago, the sphere he held now was fine-tuned and controlled; beautiful, even. He was holding a form of power in his hand and it resembled a kind of beauty she wasn't familiar with.  
  
" _The same reaction as Erasa_ ," Gohan noted. Wondering if all humans reacted this way to  _ki_ , he wished his own first experience with the energy had been as whimsical; aside from his usage of it when Piccolo left him alone in the wilderness for several months, the first time he remembered seeing  _ki_  from an observer's perspective was when Piccolo trained him. Unlike Erasa and Videl's experiences, it was not beautiful.  
  
"Now, you give it a try," Gohan insisted, letting the sphere within his palms dim and peter out, leaving air once more.   
  
Videl took a deep breath — a perfect action to calm her unsteady mind, as well as showing her own intuition as a martial artist — and cupped her hands out in front her. She knew that breath was power in martial arts; it flowed in in every movement they made, and the same held true here.  
  
And yet, despite what she thought of as perfect execution, the girl found herself unable to bring out the glowing orb that Gohan had shown off only seconds before. " _Why can't I do it...!?_ " She thought, feeling her hands and shoulders tremble with irritation; and yet, a small amount of trepidation as well. " _What if I can't do it_?" She thought, wincing with the difficulty of trying to call forth a force she didn't even believe in.  
  
"You need to relax," Gohan urged; his eyes didn't miss the slight trembling of the ebony-tressed girl's slim figure, and felt the need to caution her. Tension the likes of which Videl was putting on her body would make gathering  _ki_  far more difficult, as as well stressful and detrimental to the body as a while; he and his father had long since discovered  _ki_  was best drawn out when one felt relaxed and in their natural state.  
  
"How can I relax? I'm supposed to bring this  _ki_  out, right? How can I be calm and just gently pull it out? That's like asking me to pull a mountain while sleep walking!" Videl shouted out exasperatedly.   
  
"I got it, I got it!" Gohan waved his hands to ease the girl's temperment. Scratching his head, Gohan tried to think of a way to better demonstrate Ki control other than through words. Even the orb of  _ki_ wasn't much of a show of what controlling one's energy could do. That's when the dawning realization of what he had could be a perfect emphasis for the young martial artist.   
  
"Right," Gohan fist palmed, looking over Videl's head, as if looking at the answer materialized in the horizon.   
  
"Huh?" The daughter of Mr. Satan tilted her head to the side in query.   
  
"Alright, I'm going to give you another example of how  _ki_  control can be brought out to the surface. Make sure to pay attention, I'm not going to show it more than once," Gohan waved his hand at Videl, causing her to lean closer, catching her attention perfectly.   
  
Nodding with a smile, Gohan stood straight and clenched his fists at his sides. Slowly he inhaled and exhaled, his breath in sync with the environment's gentle breeze. As blades of grass fluttered over his right and Videl's left, the tresses of black hair glittered with the faintest golden hue. In a calm, purposeful manner, Gohan's body began flare in a bright solar glow that thrummed audibly before Videl's eyes. When his brows turned a pale blonde as his head of hair had done, Gohan's fists slackened into open palms, causing the energy to completely solidify. Like an exhale the power he quietly pulled out released like a gust of wind, bristling over Videl's hair, causing her pigtails to whip behind her head as the grass and soil parted with the pressure of wind.   
  
"Now," Gohan began to say, his blue eyes staring at Videl and a smile stretched across his face, "what did you see when I pulled out my energy to the surface? Was I struggling?"  
  
"N-No," Videl stuttered, her eyes still wide and still adjusting to the teenager's profile identity flashed literally before her eyes. This was his energy? If she didn't know him better, she would have thought he was a god from mythology. Yet, his body didn't bulk up crazily nor did he simply yell out like a ferocious animal. It came out slowly and surely before her eyes, as if he was pulling something by a string rather than a large pulley. "you were so calm and I barely felt any change when you...err...transformed. It's amazing, to be honest!"   
  
"If I can bring out this kind of energy calmly," Gohan said with a grin, complemented with a thumb's up to Videl, "it should be even easier for you if you keep your cool."  
  
"Remain calm..." Videl murmured to herself, trying to act as her own coach as she extended her cupped hands forward once more. Steadying her breathing, she closed her eyes, and had nothing else to focus on but herself.  
  


* * *

  
  
A few hours had elapsed after Gohan's secondary demonstration, and after a break to try and gather her wits, Videl was sitting on the cool grass, her cupped hands out and quietly trying to draw out her energy. With much concentration, the ebony-tressed girl managed to respond to the calling in the center of her body, and manifested a spherical, spiraling light in her palms.  
  
"I...I did it!" Videl gasped, a unique sensation spreading throughout her body; the feeling of free flowing energy was made known to the young martial artist, and it gave her a sense of elation. "Gohan, look, I managed it!" She held the sphere up for Gohan to see, a wide, joyous smile on her face.   
  
"That's remarkable, Videl," Gohan was surprised to see the orb of ki floating in the young girl's hands. " _She got a hold of this even faster than Erasa..._ " It truly surprised Gohan to no end just how quickly humans could get a handle on things.  
  
"Gohaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaan!" A bell-chime cry came from the sky above, and Gohan looked up to see a blonde figure flying his way.   
  
"Speak of the devil, here she is," Gohan smiled, as Erasa descended next to him, an equally broad smile on her face.  
  
"It's not kind to disappear on me like that," Erasa scolded playfully, "I just got finished plowing the fields and was going to eat breakfast, but Chi-Chi told me you were down here training, and I should come down and see you first! Is there something I'm not getting?"  
  
"I'm beginning to think you're blind," A disgruntled Videl grumbled from the ground, attracting Erasa's attention almost immediately. Not only was Videl very irritated to have her accomplishment go barely noticed by Gohan due to the arrival of Erasa, being  _ignored_  by Erasa when she arrived to see Gohan made it twice as bad. " _I can't decide which one of these lovebirds is worse right now_ ," The girl thought, staring daggers at both Gohan and Erasa, obviously working on her now patented death-glare.   
  
"V-Videl!" Erasa rather sheepishly acknowledged her best friend's presence, having been so enamored with Gohan that she'd entirely missed the seated girl. "You're here!? Why didn't anyone tell me? Why didn't Chi-Chi tell me, I only saw her five minutes ago!"  
  
"Gohan was nice enough to agree to teach me how to fly, weren't you Gohan?" Videl smirked, looking Gohan dead in the eyes.  
  
"Yeah, that's how it went down," Gohan lied, going along with Videl's story for the sake of simplicity.   
  
Erasa flashed Gohan a brief look, but said nothing directly to him as she caught a glimpse of the sphere of light floating freely above Videl's cupped palms. Gasping, she clutched Videl's hands, causing the ebony-tressed girl to wince out of surprise.  
  
"You already managed to form the  _ki_  sphere?" Erasa groaned, a hint of jealousy in her voice, "It took me an entire day to pull it off; it must be because you've been doing martial arts your whole life! It's remarkable, actually!"  
  
"R-Really?" Videl flushed slightly at the gushing praise Erasa was piling onto her. The girl was going to comment about how ditzy it was on Erasa's part to not only miss her, but somehow miss the glowing sphere of energy that she was holding. But something quickly caught her attention; various cuts and bruises that decorated Erasa's hands and wrists.  
  
"Erasa, what happened?!" Videl asked frantically, the orb disappearing as she slipped her hands out of Erasa's firm grip to inspect the damages to the blonde girl's pale skin. While some cuts were certainly fresh, a majority were already beginning to fade; it was also clear at the touch that Erasa had washed her hands recently. Videl remembered when the girl said she had been 'plowing fields — she must have washed out dirt. On closer inspection, Videl noticed something else, this time decorating Erasa's palms; faint burns.   
  
"It's nothing," Erasa waved it off, easily pulling her hands away from Videl's and trying to reassure the girl to keep her from unnecessary worrying, "I just got these scars while training. It's to be expected, and I've been meaning to hide them under bandages and gauze."  
  
"Are you sure you're alright?" Videl was genuinely concerned; she hadn't even been aware Erasa was doing any training, other than her flying, but that wasn't the pressing matter now. Videl had always felt somewhat protective of Erasa, and to see her the girl not only working so hard it was causing slight physical damage, but moving away from her faster than she could keep up, Videl felt...abandoned. "We've always been there for each other since we were kids...don't hide anything from me, alright?"   
  
Erasa could hear the sincerity behind Videl's words, and she flashed a smile in return, placing her hands on the girl's shoulders. "There's no need to worry about me anymore, I can handle myself. I  _know_  what I'm doing."  
  
"If you say so..." Videl conceded, unable to argue back with Erasa this time; there was a conviction in Erasa's sapphire eyes that Videl had never seen before, and it stopped any additional words from leaving the young woman's throat.  
  
"I really should head back, though," Erasa broke contact with Videl as she began to float into the air again, "since Chi-Chi is going to fix me a spot of breakfast and then it's time for studying!" Casting a brief look at her arms, she also muttered something about fragile bandages, before waving at Gohan as she flew off in the direction of the Son household.   
  
"...Gohan?" Videl spoke quietly towards the Saiyan teenager, who immediately turned his attention to the remaining girl.  
  
"What is it, Videl?" Gohan queried, the girl's sudden change in tone sparking a curiosity.  
  
"Erasa's training...it's not just for joining you in the Tenka'ichi Budōkai, is it?" She almost sounded like she was trying to confirm something to herself, as opposed to simply asking Gohan a question. "I can't see her just entering a tournament because she wants to skive off a few lessons."  
  
Gohan hesitated for a moment, Erasa's conviction ringing loud and clear in his head.   
  


" _Gohan, I don't want this to happen to Videl again. What if you'd gotten there too late? Or something worse had happened? I want to continue our training, and I want to get stronger. So I can protect Videl, in case something like this happens again. I want to keep her safe, Gohan._ "  


Erasa hadn't waved, either; her conviction remained solid, and every day, she pushed herself harder in training, not simply to better herself or get stronger. No, it was because she wanted to keep Videl safe. 

"Yeah," Gohan nodded firmly, "more than you know."

"I see," Videl smiled, a smile that was more for Erasa than it was for Gohan or even herself, "if she's going to work hard, then I can't sit around and take my time! Let's keep this up!"

* * *

  
**Elche Island, Elche Island Wilds, Later That Evening**

"You did it!" Gohan crowed, clenching his fists in excitement at Videl's accomplishment. 

The ebony-tressed girl, was floating a few meters above ground, her tresses bobbing gently as she tried to maintain her posture. 

With the setting sun casting rich shades of red and orange across the ground, the day was beginning to say its farewells. The hours, which had moved so quickly, were now moving at a snail's pace in celebration of Videl's singular achievement!

"Shut up, you're breaking my concentration," Videl strained to speak, unable to both float and talk at the same time. Exhaling, she felt herself descend onto the grass with the motion, feeling a mix of relief and regret as she touched down onto the ground. 

"That's amazing, Videl," Gohan, for the first time since Videl arrived, sounded excited. Perhaps it was due to the surprise at Videl's own skill. "You learned to float in just one day!"

"Is it really that remarkable?" The ebony-tressed challenged pointedly, gesturing to the blurring figure of Goten, who was zooming around the sky at top speed. Unlike Videl, who had only managed to float, all Goten had needed was slight coaching and he was already slicing through the air.

"Gohan, look at me, I'm a little birdie!" The young Saiyan crowed as he began to dive downward and then pull back up, performing loops, twists, and turns. 

"When will I be able to fly like  _him_?" Videl pointed at Goten, red-faced with indignation at the boy's superb talent.

"Um, soon!" Gohan raised his hands up defensively. "He had a pretty good grasp of  _ki_  already!"

"Fine, but we'll pick this up tomorrow," Videl huffed, "I'm interested in this  _ki_  thing." She turned on her heel, sauntering off and leaving a very stunned Gohan behind.

The teenage Saiyan collapsed onto the ground, his rear making contact with the grass as he groaned in frustration. "If she keeps this up, I won't have any time to get in my own training!"

* * *

  
**Elche Island, Elche Island Wilds, Midnight**

The moon was high in the sky, casting it's soft luminescence across the forests of Elche Island. In the center of the sky over the island hovered Erasa. Caked in bruises, scrapes and cuts of all manner of sorts from her normal rigorous training she was sporting a thin layer of sweat over her lightly tanned skin. The shell on her back rattled slightly with her body's trembling as her outstretched arms was obscured by small curling tendrils of smoke, coupled by audible trails of steam. If one could look closely, her fingers and palms sported more burnt flesh, a sign of another physical injury while attempting her personal exercise in the dead of night.

Erasa's chest was heaving rapidly, her breath coming out in the form of quick and painful pants. The blonde-tressed girl felt herself sway in the air, as her body drifted down to the crater of her own creation, her knees hitting the ground, falling into a circular crater of her own making. She seethed in pain as her hands hit the cold dirt; the newly acquired burns on her pale skin racked with pain as she made contact with fresh dirt.

"It's still not...it's still not complete..." She confessed to herself, her chest burning with the very action of speaking. " _I can't control it...and it just keeps...backfiring_... _"_ The teenage girl mentally beat herself up at her own failure. " _But I'm not done yet...there's still time...I'll complete this yet!"_

Inhaling deeply, the cool air burning the worn inside of her windpipe, Erasa forced herself to her feet. Letting her  _ki_  flow freely through her body, she felt revitalized, and a confident smile crossed her face. "Come on, let's try this again!"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's finally out; after an entire month, I've finally managed to finish my new chapter. Let me start with an apology to everyone; if you guys expected a chapter this month, it really was my intention to get one out, however, this entire month proved to be one huge distraction. To put it shortly, my family has decided to move, so my mother's been having me help her pack up the entire house, which was very tiring. Additionally, stacking this on top of work, it didn't leave me with much energy left. To make it a bit worse...Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire graced the shores of the world on the 21st of November, and I shut down my entire life for a full week just to play this game; yes, I know, that is entirely my fault, but it was a very effective way to relax and it took me back to when I was a kid. 
> 
> Additionally, my friends and I had issues that kept us on edge. It's a story I won't go into here, but it honestly didn't help my mood at all. I also had ONE FINAL DISTRACTION in the form of a short story I wrote earlier; to anyone slightly interested, you can find that one-shot right here: https://www.fictionpress.com/s/3222754/1/Girlfriend-For-Just-One-Day .
> 
> So yeah, I'm sorry I didn't manage to get this chapter up earlier but I promise I'll try to be a little more consistent now that I've beaten the main game and will probably avoid my newest games (Disgaea 4 and Tales of Xillia) for a month or so to get my next chapter up, because trust me, if you felt this chapter was a bit lackluster, that chapter will move us forward, I promise.
> 
> Videl, in this chapter, didn't get put in her place (this is to anyone who expected it) because, while Videl CAN be a bitch, she also can be polite when it comes down to it, and if she doesn't have anything against you, she's not gonna bitch at you. Chi-Chi got to meet nice Videl because she was nice in return. Also, to anyone who thinks this felt like Erasa's training to learn to fly...yeah, I couldn't make it different because I didn't know how to make any real changes barring dialogue. Mercifully, I tried to keep this chapter short, and I made sure Erasa got her moments in because...fuck, she's the deuteragonist, how could I exclude her two chapters in a row? 
> 
> The final scene in this chapter, though short, was something I'd wanted to put in ever since her training began. If anyone guesses what Erasa is trying to do, I will neither confirm nor deny it, given it's going to be something that comes into play later on; it's nothing major, just a nice little surprise.
> 
> As always, let's give a thanks to my friend Mangetsu20 for his help in proofreading to make sure this story is readoable by you all! Though I have no right to say this, I hope you all will stick through this with me until the story ends, I appreciate my entire readership, and I will see all of you in the next exciting chapter of the Erased Chronicles!


	13. The Vision Beyond Sight

Three months had passed since Erasa had begun practicing Kame-Sennin's Turtle School style of training. She and Gohan had eventually come to a bump in the road – a bump with piercing blue eyes and flowing, ebony, pig-tailed-tresses – that had tried to ground their training to a screeching halt. Specifically, Videl. Erasa's friend had made pursuit for the duo to the furthest reaches of the continent for the sake of one thing.

Learning to fly.

Mercifully, Videl proved to be a quick learner, and no average talent; within ten days, the girl was flying freely through the skies with as much ease as Goten had before her. With her new-found skill in flight and interest in the manipulation of  _ki_ , Videl promised to redouble her training efforts to give Gohan quite the showing at the tournament.

With the daughter of Mr. Satan finally departing, it left Gohan and Goten open to resume their training, as well as giving Gohan the time needed intensify Erasa's training. One of the first things he'd introduced Erasa to, within a month after her training had begun, was the concept of meditation. Proper manipulation of  _ki_  required more than simple awareness and a basic ability to draw it out, but the concentration and refinement to use it effectively. Meditation provides both of these; improving the capacity to concentrate, allowing for the user to pull out more of their  _ki_ , as well as refining the energy itself through this spiritual art.

While not initially one for meditation, Erasa had taken to it rather quickly, allowing Gohan to move her schedule along as he intended. At the beginning of the third month, Erasa had finally undergone enough training that Gohan felt confident upgrading the turtle shell she wore to twice the wait, and push her skills to something more challenging; sensing _ki._

 

* * *

As the sun began to rise, Erasa rose with it, groggily rubbing her eyes as she stumbled out of Chi-Chi's bed. With three months having passed since the beginning of her training, she'd grown accustomed to waking up before the alarm; a mercy for the inanimate object that Chi-Chi had grown so fond of crushing between her lithe hands.

“I should probably buy her a replacement,” Erasa mumbled sleepily, knowing this wasn't even a fair way of repaying Chi-Chi for everything she'd done for her. But given Erasa knew she wouldn't be going anywhere anytime soon, an alarm clock would be a good first step, no? Capsule Corp. had recently released the 'Irate Husband', complete with 40 lines of 'choice dialogue'. Rumour had it the president of Capsule Corp. based the trinket on her own husband. 

After a quick rinsing of her face in the restroom, Erasa swiftly made it to the bedroom once more, making it just in time for the alarm to go off, quickly silencing a machine that had long since surrendered. Donning her  _gi_  and turtle shell, Erasa waved at the sleeping form of Chi-Chi as she turned to face the new day of training with absolute confidence.

“Let's go!” She cheered under her breath.

 

* * *

“So, Gohan, what will you be laying on me today?” Erasa queried playfully, tightening her  _obi_  as she stretched to ensure proper blood-flow to the limbs.

“Today, I'm going to add something new to the curriculum,” Gohan replied, more than pleased to see what time had done to Erasa's drive for training. She had never been one for slacking, but now, Erasa, at least to him, seemed quite different than the Erasa who had failed the qualification test in the jungle. Back then, she seemed ready to give up; now, Erasa had an air of someone who could take on the world and win. Gohan smiled to himself, proud of Erasa for not only coming as far as she had, but striving to push herself even further. “And we'll do so by playing a game of tag.”  
  
“Tag?” Erasa flashed Gohan a blank look, obviously wondering how a simple game of 'tag' could be used for training. Remembering her current training, however, Erasa knew better than to question the methods Gohan used; she'd felt the results with her own body, the training worked.

"It'll be quite simple, really," Gohan pulled out a thin, white blindfold, which only further added to Erasa's confusion. How could anyone play 'tag' with a blindfold? "But I'll give you a demonstration." The Saiyan folded the cloth over his eyes, effectively blocking out his sense of sight. "I'm sure you're confused, but humour me; start running and I'll try and catch you. I'll even give you two minutes of a head start to break from here."  
  
"No need to tell me twice," Erasa quipped, before she immediately took off running. A huge benefit of her training was the running speed at which Erasa now traveled, capable of covering more than half a mile in under a minute. She took only a moment to glance behind her, and saw Gohan still standing patiently, even a smile on his face, and knew one thing; she wouldn't give him the satisfaction of being caught. Approaching the cliffside, the blonde teenager met an old friend; the jungle.   
  
"Let's take a dip!" She joked, taking a swan dive off the cliff, before leveling herself out in the air, floating to prevent a stinging collision with the ground. Erasa propelled herself forward, ducking in and out of trees before she made another landing and continued running; she would have flown, but she knew Gohan would disapprove. After all, if she flew, where would the training be?

 

* * *

  
  
Blindfolded, after two minutes had passed in his head, Gohan turned towards the forest. " _And now its time for the game to begin_."  
  


* * *

  
  
Erasa gripped a thick tree branch above her head, pulling herself over it to allow for a wide leap, trying to place as much difference between herself and Gohan as she could before the two minutes had elapsed; however, she didn't have a natural clock in her brain, and thus couldn't tell how much time she had left before Gohan made his move to catch up.  
  
"I think this is far enough," Erasa muttered to herself, landing next to a small lake within the jungle. She knelt before it, sloshing water on her face to rejuvenate herself; the coolness of the liquid shook her out of her half-awake stupor. "I don't think Gohan can catch me now, not hidden under all this foliage."  
  
"I wonder about that."  
  
Gohan's voice slightly smug, broke Erasa's concentration and caused her to look around for his location. Her curiousity was soon answered when she saw Gohan, still blindfolded, floating above her with his arms folded.  
  
"H-How!?" She stammered in shock, scrambling to her feet. Shaking her head, Erasa quickly regained her composure, and even smiled in spite of herself, if only to cover up the shock of being discovered so quickly. But this was still 'tag' and the game didn't end until the 'demon' caught its target; and Erasa wasn't caught yet.  
  
"I won't give up that easily, Gohan!" Erasa called out as she took off running, making heavy using of her ability to fly to quite literally skate across the surface of the lake shed been drinking from only moments prior. A sloshing white rift of water shot up in her wake, moving ever high as Erasa revved her own speed higher.   
  
"Heh," Gohan chuckled, and easily tore after Erasa, pursuing the girl over the water. Still blindfolded, he followed her effortlessly, creating a far larger wake of water as he tore across the surface.  
  
Skidding off the surface of the lake, Erasa kept fleeing; she craned her head backwards only once, her sapphire orbs locking onto Gohan's face. As if the man could see her every action, he smiled; not an arrogant smirk, a kind, genuine smile; the one Erasa loved so much. Unable to help herself, she smiled back, and this delay is what stopped her movement completely, allowing Gohan to overtake her, gently tapping the girl's shoulder.  
  
Much to Erasa's mixed feelings, the game was over.  
  
She had been tagged.  
  


* * *

  
  
"Gragh!" Erasa slumped to the ground next to the Son household, lightly punching the ground in a minor fit of frustration; in doing so, she created a small crater, slightly larger than her fist. "How were you able to catch me? You couldn't even see me." If training was doing anything for Erasa, it was making her more assertive; and this shined through in the young girl's anger at her own failure.

 

“That's because I wasn't using my eyes to find you,” Gohan explained, finding Erasa's frustration to be endearing. Just three months ago, she'd have lost all of her confidence from this one failure. Now, she seemed determined to better herself, and even angry at herself for failing to evade him. “During our game of tag, I was following your  _ki_.”  
  
“You followed my  _ki_?” Erasa flashed Gohan a very confused look. She hadn't remembered exerting any  _ki_ , except in those brief moments she needed to fly; he certainly couldn't have found her on the first attempt by following her  _ki_.  
  
“Let me explain,” the teenage Saiyan figured he may as well start from square one, “I've already explained the concept of  _ki_  to you; life energy. This is the energy that is found not only in all living things, but the inanimate objects as well; plants, buildings, even clothing, have some small degree of  _ki_. This is because everything possesses a soul, no matter how small. Living creatures simply possess larger souls,  and due to that, a proportionately larger amount of  _ki_.”

“That doesn't tell me much,” Erasa began, only for Gohan to raise a finger for silence.

“Let me continue,” He scolded, and pressed on with the lecture as if Erasa hadn't interrupted. “I'm capable of 'sensing' energy; it's the method I used to find you while I was blindfolded. By concentrating on your  _ki_  signature, which as as unique as a fingerprint, I was able to seek you out in spite of the dozens of other, smaller signatures surrounding me. Making it far easier is the fact that simple movement causes a large flare in the  _ki_  of a living person; while I told you to hide from me, I actually made it easier to find you by forcing you to run.”

It took Erasa all of five seconds to get the gist of what Gohan was saying. By having her run, she exerted  _ki_ , airborne or otherwise, and he used some kind of sixth sense, the ability to locate her energy. “If I'm right, I bet you're going to have me try the blindfold next, aren't you?”  
  
“Astute as ever,” Gohan smiled, happy to see she caught on quickly, “this exercise is meant to teach you how to sense  _ki_. It's not always a reliable skill; we've had it fail us before. However, if your eyes are ever failing you, the ability to sense the  _ki_  of the living will be a vital skill.”

Taking a deep breath, Erasa stood up, catching the blindfold that Gohan tossed her way. Fluttering in the breeze, she tied the cloth around her eyes, causing her vision to fall into self-imposed darkness.

“ _This is already off to the kind of start I expected,”_ Erasa thought, focusing far more on her inability to see a thing than trying to concentrate and find Gohan's  _ki_  signature. “I can't see a thing; this is going to be a lot harder than I expected.”  
  
“Don't try to 'see' me,” Gohan scolded, quickly moving out of reach as Erasa made her first move, hazarding a guess – a lucky one at that – at his direction. “Focus on my  _ki_ ; concentrate, and try to connect to it and follow my movements!”  
  
“I'm trying!” Erasa huffed, making a wide leap and thrusting her arms out, only to catch thin air. She knew she was a sinking ship; getting nowhere very fast. Erasa began to flare up an invisible aura of  _ki_ , trying to get a feel in the area for Gohan's own aura. Despite her efforts, this yielded no results; Erasa's vision was still plagued by darkness.

It didn't take much for Gohan to remember how this version of his training went when he was training to combat the oncoming Saiyans so many years ago. Piccolo had been far less reluctant to provide a blindfold and preferred more violent measures to get the job done.

* * *

“ _You're slacking!” The Namekian reprimanded sharply, a balled fist mercilessly meeting with Gohan's stomach, causing the young Saiyan to double over, winded. “If you have time to check your footing, then you're not concentrating on my energy!”_

 _“I'm trying, Mr. Piccolo, but-!” Gohan protested through gasps of air._  
  
“Try harder!” Piccolo's sharp reply came with a furious kick, sending the boy hurtling back at breakneck speeds. “If this were a real fight, I'd have killed you long before now. Do you think the Saiyans will show you the kindness I'm displaying now? How do you think your father wound up on the ground with broken ribs from our last nemesis? Innocence and naivete, pure and simple!” Clicking his tongue, Goku's archnemesis extended his left arm, stretching it an immense length to grab Gohan by the leg.

_“Get back here, brat! I'll beat the lesson into you if I have to!”_

_“W-Whoah!” Gohan cried as he felt himself reeled in, and spun around in the air like a ribbon before Piccolo slammed the Saiyan child into the ground, causing the boy's eyes to widen with the shock of the pain from the impact._  
_  
“Is that the best you've got?” Piccolo snarled. “I told you to_ feel _for my energy; relying on your other senses will only get you killed.”_

_Rising from the dirt, the dust-stained Gohan's face was straining with tears, as well as the effort to try and hold them back. He wanted to prove he could fight; if only to protect the planet. But Piccolo's training was too tough. Despite this, within all the self-doubt, Gohan felt a surge of something else; anger. An emotion he only remembered vaguely from several months ago, when the man who claimed to be his uncle was crushing his father under the weight of his foot._

_That furious emotion welled in the young Saiyan's heart, and he began to charge a condensed orb of ki in his hands, causing Piccolo's eyes to widen._  
  
“MASENKO!” The energy exploded in a blinding flash, releasing a torrent of heated plasma beam of pure death that was firing straight at Piccolo.

_The Namekian, more surprised than he cared to let on, firmly rooted himself into the dirt, braced for the worst. As the energy blast closed in, Piccolo slammed his own forearm into it, altering the trajectory of the beam and sending it hurtling away, destroying a nearby plateau._

_“Getting angry?” Piccolo berated coldly. “Then harness that anger and use it against me!”_

_Simply snapping was pointless; upon seeing his attack deflected, Gohan's anger diminished, replaced with shock, and in accordance, his power level dropped. Gohan then collapsed onto the ground in shock and exhaustion._

_“Tch...” Piccolo was growing frustrated with Gohan's antics. He needed to push the boy farther, and yet he couldn't do any lasting harm – not while they still needed him as a potential fighter against the Saiyans. He needed to push Gohan farther; and he knew the best way to do that. Dashing forward, Piccolo appeared to materialize before Gohan's eyes, sliding the tips of his claws along the ground, forcing soil from the ground towards the young Saiyan._

_“Uwah!” A cry escaped the young Saiyan's throat a the dirt splashed into his open eyes, the stinging pain sending him stumbling back. Blinking furiously, the young boy found himself blinded by this simple, effective method executed by his teacher._

_“Is needing to rely solely on your eyes a Saiyan trait?” Piccolo snapped harshly; his words rang louder as Gohan's young ears began to pick up the slack due to his new lack of sight. “If you can't learn such a simple technique, you're worthless as a fighter!”_

_The young Saiyan was now backed into a corner, precisely what Piccolo wanted. Panic flooding through him, he knew he needed to find a way out. He couldn't see a thing anymore, and he forced his eyes shut from the pain. Despite this, he could hear Piccolo advancing, his time running short._

_“Wait...what's...this?” Gohan thought, and a glimmer of light flickered into his vision, despite his shut eyes. This flicker flared, and became a gaseous blob of light, forming into the shape of an advancing Namekian. “I can see Mr. Piccolo..it's faint, but it's definitely him, bathed in energy...!”_

_“You're truly pathetic, kid!” Piccolo raised his arm above Gohan as he stopped before the young boy. He would knock the child unconscious and begin from the ground up._

_“Raaaaaaaaah!” In a move that surprised Piccolo, Gohan, his eyes still scrunched tightly shut, encased his own arm in_ ki _, and performed a swift and powerful uppercut. Gohan's fist collided with Piccolo's oncoming arm, the force of the mighty blow creating a very large cracking noise as the arm was torn off entirely, with Gohan rocketing upwards into the air._

 _“Urgh!” Piccolo grunted in pain, gripping his new stump of a shoulder. The irony of Gohan, the nephew of the Saiyan he had fought, taking off his arm when the Saiyan had done the same thing was not lost on him, and yet he also admired the boy's display of power in the face of danger. To not only learn to sense ki_   _so quickly under pressure, but to also take off his dominant arm..._

_“That's the spirit, brat,” Piccolo mused, as he began to concentrate on his shoulder stump to begin the regeneration process while Gohan entered freefall. “That power of yours...I'll give you the training of your life until you've acquired the skill to hone it."_

* * *

“ _I can't force Erasa into a situation like that_ ,” Gohan shook his head at the memory. It was precisely because Piccolo's methods were too difficult for a human to endure that Gohan had taken up the mantle of Muten Rōshi's training methods. The most Gohan could do for Erasa was simulate blindness in the safest way possible. And yet she still could not 'see'. As he dodged her final grab, Gohan appeared behind Erasa, slipping the blindfold off her.  
  
Erasa squinted, as light flashed into her eyes, momentarily dazing the human girl. "G-Gohan, why'd you do that? I had to have been close!"  
  
"If you want an accurate measure of distance, you were about to freeze to death in the Blue Bell Artic," Gohan quipped, smiling gently at the frustrated girl. "I'm beginning to think you'll need a demonstration, to see where you're going wrong."  
  
"A demonstration...of errors?" Erasa sounded puzzled; that seemed to her like the least helpful way to demonstrate anything.  
  
"Just watch; if you see exactly what you've done wrong from the perspective of a viewer, you may be able to rectify the problem," Gohan explained, before turning away from Erasa. "GOTEN! COME ON OVER AND LEND ME A HAND, WOULD YA!?"  
  
As if he'd been lurking around the corner — in fact, he had been — Goten flew over, smiling eagerly at Gohan's request for assistance. "Watcha need, Gohan?" He quipped innocently as he landed.  
  
"I'm sure you've been watching," Gohan tried to sound stern while reprimanding his younger brother, but he couldn't help but find the boy's mischievous nature amusing. "You don't quite know how to sense  _ki_  either, Goten, so you're going to help me demonstrate to Erasa exactly what she's doing wrong — and maybe get your training in as well."

 _"_ What's sensing  _ki_?" Goten queried, placing a small finger to his lips in confusion.  
  
Gohan let out an exasperated sigh as he realised he would have to explain once again from the ground up.

* * *

  
  
"Got ya!" Goten cried, the newly blindfolded Saiyan child laughing as he tried to tackle Gohan from the back, only for Gohan to lightly flip backwards over his younger brother, causing him to hurtle towards a large boulder. "Ow!" The boy cried, rubbing his forehead. How a stone could harm a Saiyan child was anyone's guess, but it was obvious Goten's head stung with pain.  
  
Erasa couldn't help but giggle, fighting the urge to coddle the younger Saiyan. " _So this is what I was doing? These wide guess strikes?"_  
  
"No, Goten," Gohan said reprovingly, landing gracefully on the ground again with a light top, and pointed directly at the blinded Saiyan child, "you're supposed to feel for my _ki_. Don't rely on your nose or your ears. Haven't you been paying any attention?"  
  
"B-But Gohan, it's too hard for me to find you when you keep moving around!" Goten protested, clearly missing the point.   
  
Erasa nodded along with Goten's protest; how were either of them, new to this  _ki_  sensing, find a moving target, when neither of them could feel the  _ki_  of the stationary objects around them yet? "I don't want to sound like I'm expecting you to hold my hand for this, Gohan, but I think you may need to simplify this for the both of us."  
  
Gohan frowned, stroking his chin in thought, before snapping his fingers from a burst of brilliance. "Erasa, shut your eyes tight. Both you and Goten, focus entirely on me. Expand your mind; use your own  _ki_  to try and feel for mine. I'm going to make it simple this time."  
   
While Erasa certainly had her doubts, Gohan had yet to mislead her, so she followed his direction, and shut her eyes tight. Goten, blindfolded, had no need to make such an unnecessary motion. The young woman took a deep breath, focusing solely on Gohan, where she knew he still stood, and began to allow her own  _ki_  to glow gently through her body.  
  
" _She's starting to get it,_ " A smile crossed Gohan's countenance as he waited patiently, trying to give them the necessary time to prepare. He could feel her own  _ki_  energy steadily rising, and Goten was beginning to catch on. Raising his hand to his side, Gohan flared his own  _ki_ intentionally, expelling some from his hand in the form of a sphere of  _ki_ , vivid blue in colour. "Now tell me...can you sense anything?"  
  
Erasa felt a shock as Gohan's surge of  _ki_  registered with her brain; in the darkness of her blinded state, Erasa could see a clouded figure, muddled, but present, standing tall among many weaker 'blobs' — neither gas nor light — that seemed to meld together.   
  
" _Is this...sensing ki?_ " The blonde thought to herself, and found it to be a nearly overwhelming sensation. This was a different kind of sight, and she realised now why Gohan's explanation seemed so foreign; explaining this sense to someone who had never had it would be like trying to have someone who was born blind understand 'sight' by word of mouth. It simply wasn't possible.  
  
She'd tried to rationalize the sensation as 'sight' at first but realized it was something beyond that; it was awareness. Without even needing to turn her head, Erasa was aware of the entire area for several meters; the trees that stood behind her were brimming with energy. It flowed differently from Gohan's, or even Goten's, who she could now feel as being standing at her immediate right. And the subject of Gohan himself was awe-inspiring.  
  
"I can sense...you," Erasa struggled to place words to the feeling. Gohan stood brighter than anything else around her, with the vivid glare of energy localized above what she had to assume was his palm — a large globe held up by a protruding tendril of a brighter texture of indistinct shape. "Is that a ball of  _ki_?"  
  
"I see an octopus holding a beach ball!" Goten crowed excitedly.   
  
"Haha, well, you're partially right," Their answers were very amusing to Gohan, who couldn't help but remember his own early discerning of the things he'd 'see' with this technique, and just how they differed, "I'm charging up  _ki_  over my head so that you can tell where I am a bit better," releasing the  _ki_  sphere and allowing it to dissipate, the world became far less vibrant to Goten and Erasa, as Gohan continued to explain, " _ki_  is a Universal energy. It flows inside of us as much as it flows around us. Like a ocean, we're submerged inside of it and it's hard to tell what's what when you have eyes aren't meant to see it. But what does sonar do for people underwater? It helps them see objects they're meant to know are in their way or what they're trying to find. Think of me as not a person but a target you have to find with your  _ki_. If you concentrate, try to send a pulse of your  _ki_  and see if you can tell where I am better."  
  
Steadying her breathing as Erasa had come to learn was ideal when controlling  _ki_ , she began to concentrate on her inner power, causing her hair to flourish as much as her clothes.   
  
In a few moments, a gentle breeze flows under her soles, lapping over the environment around her; gasping she smiles and blinks a few times as she points in Gohan's direction.  
  
"I can't tell what body part is what, but I can see your energy, Gohan!"  
  
 Goten, quickly becoming as much of a natural at this as Erasa, laughed giddily, "I see ya, I see ya, I see ya!"  
  
"Good," Gohan nodded with a satisfied grin, "Let's work a little slower and just focus on having you get used to homing in on objects with your  _ki_. Once that's done, try to do the same thing while in motion. With practice, you can do this without even trying and make it second nature."  
  


* * *

 

Over the course of the next several months, Erasa and Goten trained hard to master the ability to sense Ki. It, among the many other challenges Gohan thrust their way, was just a daily exercise as they continued to better themselves for the competition. While they made staggering progress, they were not alone in their training.

Vegeta trained Trunks to break every limit he found. It wasn't long before Vegeta was regularly sparring with the young Super Saiyan, as a way to help prepare himself for the inevitable showdown he planned. Whether father or son was prepared to confront the Son Family remained to be seen in the ring.

Even then, others continued to better themselves. Piccolo, under the Sun that beat down the Lookout, meditated daily when he wasn't training within the ancient fortress' innerworkings. Krillin, under the persistent prodding of his cyborg wife, sparred daily with the number named beauty on islands surrounding Rōshi's own home. Goku, in Other World, continued to make sure to tap into his newfound powers he received through his own brutal training under the watch of North Kaiō.

Even Muten Rōshi, old as he was, was encouraged to go through his own routine of exercises. Perhaps the sight of seeing so many spirits lifted for this revived Tournament got his old fire burning. Or maybe it was for another reason.

Yes, they and many others yet to be known made their preparations for the fated day. The day of the Tournament. The time of reunion. And the moment when the whole world will be changed forever.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Holy Beerus, this chapter took quite a long time to write. Not because I had a difficult time, not at all. My real gripe was with this entire bloody month. First of all, Happy Belated Christmas to all of my readers - I'd have done a Christmas special for this story if DBZ was set in a world that could celebrate the Holiday. But all they have is Freeza Day. However, what with this entire month being December, it was a bit difficult to get work done. To explain quickly, I've moved into a new house this month so we had to settle in, which took up a good majority of my time. Add my newfound work schedule into the mix (which is really good, I thank my manager for it), my friends I love to spend time with, and Christmas, which involved spending time with my family and getting some AWESOME presents (a lot of which were GAMES, so you know how that goes), I've had a plethora of distractions in just this month alone. But, as you can see, with the help of my good friend Mangetsu20, this chapter came to life again. 
> 
> I've only got one real pun to explain this chapter: Blue Bell is an Ice Cream company, thus fitting Toriyama's food and pun motif, or so I figured. With this chapter complete, I can confidently say that the World Martial Arts tournament is on its way, next chapter, we're all finally going to step into the ring Toriyama has long since vacated! I can hear the stands already!
> 
> As always, let's thank Mangetsu20 for his awesome assistance in getting my story up and running, I'm always so grateful!
> 
> Once again, Merry Belated Christmas to everyone, and if you celebrate a different Holiday, I still hope you had a wonderful time!


	14. The Warriors' Reunion

**Kami's Lookout; The eve of the Tenka'ichi Budōkai**  
  
Looming far above the planet Earth stood an ancient structure known as the Lookout, a palace meant for the dwelling of Earth's guardian demi-god. Standing at the very edge was Piccolo, who looked down upon Earth with a very grim expression — if one could believe it.   
  
" _Such a foul, dark presence..._ " The Namekian mused to himself, a scowl set deep into his face as he positively glowered at the planet below. " _I haven't felt this kind of omen since seven years ago...when I first detected Cell moving unseen across the Earth, looking for the Androids._ "  
  
"Piccolo...?" The voice of a younger presence snapped Piccolo out of his reverie. "Is your training completed?" The voice belonged to Dende, the current guardian of Earth, having replaced Kami after his fusion with Piccolo.  
  
"Yeah..." Piccolo replied, giving the Namekian adolescent a noncommittal gesture to step forward. "Tell me, Dende...do you feel it?"  
  
"Yes, I do..." The Guardian replied, casting a gaze down at the planet below, "such a foul presence. And to think it would happen on the eve of Son Goku's return no less." Dende tried very hard not to think about what Goku had told his friends and family when he refused to be brought back to life by Shénlóng after he sacrificed himself in the battle with Cell. Goku believed he attracted trouble; that these beings came to Earth in search of him. And Dende had to agree, though it pained him; Goku was certainly a magnet for trouble.  
  
"Peace never lasts," He let out a heavy sigh, gripping the staff that had once belonged the the former guardian, Kami. "Even a decade of peace...is that so much to ask for?"  
  
"The arrival of this presence is still nascent," Piccolo replied firmly, "so there is time for me to warn the others. Specifically Goku. I don't wish to mar Gohan's reunion with his father, but the threat that looms over us now is greater than any enemy we've yet faced in the past. We'll play the tournament out...but if we simply stand idle, it won't be long before this new darkness envelops the entire world."  
  
Dende looks up at his mentor and predecessor, balling up his fists helplessly as he looks up at his stern visage with a sense of urgency, "Isn't...Isn't there anyone we can warn about this without spoiling such a happy reunion? Like, someone who can keep a secret and be able to plan alongside you?"  
  
Piccolo remained staunchly silent, surveying the planet below. With his eyes closed, he could see the _ki_  of the entire planet, stretching across the veritable sea of energy, millions of faces rushing past his mind's eye; yet he needed to find only one.  As he honed in on a familiar _ki_  signature, precisely the one he was looking for, he opened his eyes, muttering, "I think I know whom to trust. He's already heading to the Budōkai; I should have known. All of us, heading in the same direction. Goku's presence must have something to do with this..."  
  


* * *

  
  
**Elche Island; The Day of the Budōkai**  
  
When the alarm went off that fateful morning for the last time, Erasa struck it all too readily. Readying her gear for the Tournament, she tightened the obi over her waist with her Turtle Hermit gi fixed onto her frame. With a turtle shell slung over her shoulders, as practiced habit of leaving the door, she quickly was met with not only Gohan but Goten and Chi-Chi all up at the same time. For once they had gotten up earlier than she had, and all looked equally prepared for the competition to transpire later that day.  
  
"Looks I slept in," Erasa joked with a giggle, announcing her arrival as all three pairs of eyes fixed on her.  
  
"Hey there, sleepyhead," Gohan joked back, laughing lightheartedly as he crossed his arms over his chest, facing her appropriately, "ready for the big day?"  
  
"I've been ready for months, Gohan. It's almost hard to believe it's been this long since I got here," Erasa exasperatedly.  
  
"I know the feeling," Gohan said softly, remembering his own time training for long bouts for obstacles heading his way. One such time was when he was a child, preparing for the arrival of the Saiyans under Piccolo's harsh yet effective tutelage. He hardly could believe he was the same child, as he fought two accomplished warriors side by side the other Z Warriors.  
  
Shaking his head from his reverie, he saw Erasa having a brief idle chat with Chi-Chi, discussing how they were going to get to the Tournament grounds.  
  
"I thought of capsuling the house and bringing it with me to the competition," She said decidedly, smiling brightly as she spoke her thoughts in a daydream-like manner, "after we reunite with Goku, we can all go back home and set it back up. Since he has a full day, I'm sure he'd like to just be back home and just enjoy being with his family for what time he has left after the Tournament."  
  
"Guess that means Erasa and I will head to the Tournament before you two?" Gohan piped in, raising a brow questioningly at his mother.  
  
"Sure thing. Though you don't need to hurry like we do," Chi-Chi smiled back at her son, turning to watch a bouncing Goten hop around the house, chasing a butterfly that had wandered into their abode, "I'll use Kinto'un. It's been awhile, but I'd like to keep the guy company for a more leisurely flight there. Plus, I'd like one of my sons to keep me company-"  
  
"No-No, we're all going together," Gohan said with insistence, waving his hands in a placating manner to his mother, "there's no need for that. Besides, the Tournament doesn't actually start for awhile, so there's no rush as of yet. I doubt dad would sit still without seeing us anyways."  
  
"You're right," His mother said with a comforted sigh.  
  
Before more conversation could go on, a distinct ringing came from the household's phone. Looking over, Chi-Chi arched her brows curiously, wondering if it was Bulma calling. Approaching the phone, she picked it up and answered it in a polite manner. After hearing who was on the phone, she smiled and spoke politely back, before turning her head over to look at Erasa.  
  
"Erasa, your father is on the phone," Chi-Chi called out to young guest of the Son home.  
  
Practically beaming with excitement, Erasa bound across the floor to grab the receiver for the telephone. It had been quite some time since their last conversation via phone. Considering the day of the event was going to happen soon, she expected a call at some time, just not this early. It wouldn't be long before the two would engage in conversation with each other, before the topic of the day lingered on their lips.  
  


* * *

  
  
"Yes, Dad, I told you, I'm doing fine!" Erasa spoke into the receiver, currently on the phone with her father, Marque, "you know for a fact I'm doing just fine, you just saw me last week!"  
  
" _Can you blame me for sounding worried?_ " Marque stressed into his only daughter's ear, " _our meetings have become few and far between, and even today, the most I might see of you is watching from the stands._ "  
  
"I've told you a thousand times, I'll be _fine_ ," the blonde girl replied sharply, "I haven't just been idling around for six months, you know. When I get to the tournament, watch me really close, alright? You'll see just what I can do now."  
  
" _You really do sound different,_ " Marque let out a heaving sigh, " _I can hear the confidence in your voice...I know you'll do well_." Even with the old phone, Erasa could hear very well that her father's voice was cracking slightly; almost as if he was crying. " _Alright, Erasa_ ," The man composed himself quickly, taking a deep breath, " _I'll see you in a few hours, honey!_ "  
  
"I'll see you real soon, Dad! Wait for me at the tournament!" Erasa hung up the phone. As her call was finished, Gohan walked over to Erasa, and took her by the hand outside into the crisp, morning air of Elche Island.  
  
"I know our training is over with, but before we head over to West City to meet up with Bulma and the others, its finally time for you to discard your shell," said Gohan, gesturing to the weighted shell that Erasa still wore on her back.   
  
Erasa cast a look towards the carved replica of a shell that she'd worn on her back for several months; it had been quite awhile since she'd remembered she still wore it, as she only removed it for the short periods of bathing and sleeping. Easing the shell off her back, letting it fall to the ground with a dull clunking noise, Erasa noticed an immediate change that she'd never quite noticed before; with the shell gone, the girl could barely feel her own weight.   
  
"Wha...?" She made a brief hopping motion, her eyes wide with wonder, "I feel so light, I can't even feel my own weight, Gohan!"  
  
"Now try to jump!" Gohan encouraged. "As high as you can manage!"  
  
The request sounded a bit confusing to Erasa, but nevertheless complied. Bending at the new, Erasa sprang into the air, and was surprised to find herself propelled well above the Son household within seconds, even temporarily floating, without any exertion of _ki_  through her flight technique. In fact, she felt positively weightless; this lasted only briefly, however, as gravity quickly reminded Erasa it exited as she began to make a descent back to Earth, landing softly on her two feet.  
  
"I was...weightless," Erasa looked down at herself in amazement. She remembered the first baseball game their school had when Gohan enrolled; how high he had jumped, the brief floating, that insane throwing strength. Was she able to do all of that now? And possibly even more?  A sly grin formed over the girl's face as she immediately decided she wanted to put it to the test; why not see how fast she could go now? Crouching, she felt her leg muscles ripple with energy as she propelled forward, her new speed surprising her.  
  
"Gotcha, Gohan!" She crowed, managing to get behind the Saiyan teenager.  
  
"Wait, what?" Gohan reacted with the utmost surprise; he hadn't expected Erasa to pull an action like this out of the blue, and thus his _ki_  sensing hadn't been activated, truly letting the girl take him by surprise.   
  
Giving Gohan no moment to react, Erasa sprung, wrapping her arms around his neck; the sudden thrust caused Gohan to fall onto his back and the two began to tumble, rolling across the cool, crisp morning grass until they came to a stop. While not Erasa's intention, they had come to a very awkward stop; the young girl found herself pinned to the ground under Gohan, who was straddling on top of Erasa. When both of them came to their senses, catching their breath, they realized their position; both of them flushed ruby immediately, and yet neither seemed to move.   
  
Whether it was because they were embarrassed, or because one of them was waiting to make a move, they remained almost perfectly still, their breathing synced perfectly in this one moment. It seemed like an eternity, it was Gohan who finally spoke.  
  
"We...we're going to be late for the tournament if we don't go," He said weakly, trying to break the ice.  
  
"Y-Yeah," Erasa replied with equal meekness as the two stood up, dusting themselves off, their faces still glowing bright red.    
  


* * *

  
  
Chi-Chi pressed a button on the side of the house, reverting it from a full sized home to its original Hoi-Poi Capsule state. She briefly mused about the conveniences of modern science; her father had built them this house, so it wasn't originally a Capsule Corp. production. It was only after the events with the Androids that she'd personally asked Bulma to install a capsule regression feature into the home in case they ever needed to pick up and move quickly.   
  
"I never thought I'd say this, but I might actually miss this island," Chi-Chi had grown quite fond of Elche Island in the six months they'd lived there. Perhaps she wasn't as cut-out for a secluded life as she once thought. The family said their final good-byes to the island, before rising into the air; Gohan grabbing Chi-Chi due to her inability to properly fly. Then, they took off flying, Gohan warning Chi-Chi to keep her eyes shut, thus allowing them to fly at full speed.  
  
With Gohan and Goten flying as fast as they could while still allowing Erasa to keep pace with them — her heightened power level giving her a new level of aerial agility — the Son group managed to make it to West City within an hour. The sun was shining brilliantly by this point, and morning had truly arrived on Earth. As if the planet welcomed the arrival of the day its greatest defender would make a return, the sun, even in this early time, seemed to exude a light more brilliant than was normal.  
  
The group landed lightly on the huge lawn that belonged to Capsule Corp., with Chi-Chi being especially grateful to be standing on something solid, and were greeted by Bulma, who was standing casually in front of a plane emblazoned with the Capsule Corp. logo. Standing next to her was Krillin, holding a small child; his daughter, Marron, a very aloof looking Android 18, who acknowledged Gohan with a curt nod of the head, and the ever-wise Master Rōshi, who was vomiting all over Bulma's front lawn.  
  
"Hey, Bulma!" Gohan greeted the lavender-haired woman with a cheerful wave. "What's up with Master Rōshi?"  
  
"Hey Gohan," Bulmna replied in kind, and cast a look of minor disgust at the pile of sick Rōshi was leaving on the lawn. "This one? Well, he couldn't find his Hoi-Poi Capsules, you have the Nimbus, not that he can ride it, and 18 didn't want to carry him from the island to here. So, he rode in on some spinning turtle — Baby Gamera, I think it called itself? — and apparently, he couldn't take the rotation because he's hurling chunks onto the lawn my gardener just finishing trimming!"  
  
"Heh, I see," Gohan couldn't help but chuckle at the old master's predicament. As he looked around, he noticed a distinct lack of faces; Yamcha, Oolong, Vegeta, Trunks, and even his grandfather, the Ox-King, who was going to arrive in his own personal vehicle, wasn't here yet. "Where's everyone else? Shouldn't they be here by now?"  
  
"Yamcha said he'd be running a little late," Bulma explained, a look of irritation crossing her face that only deepened as her thoughts turned to her only child and her husband, "and Vegeta and Trunks are still getting some last minute training in. Neither of them understand the concept of moderation!"  
  
"You know Vegeta," Krillin interjected, "he'd spend his entire life training if he didn't at least need to take a break to use the restroom!"  
  
Bulma sighed, "You don't know how true that is, Krillin. And Trunks is getting just as bad; the only time either of them seem to stop nowadays is to sit in front of the television and eat those TV dinners they get from the Mart. You should see the trash cans..."  
  
"My family is just used to waking up early," said Chi-Chi, who couldn't help but feel for Bulma. Goku had been the same way, after all. "We'll just have to patiently wait for everyone to arrive. I just hope we don't miss Goku..."  
  
Thus, the group had no other choice but to wait for the stragglers to arrive. Trunks and Vegeta had finished their training before Yamcha or the Ox-King had arrived. Gohan highly doubted Vegeta would have stopped had Bulma not gone down to the Gravity Chamber to personally yell at her husband and son; the two eventually conceded to Bulma, and cut their training short. For a given Saiyan definition of short training, anyway.  
  
While Goten and Trunks began to play, Gohan felt very uncomfortable, and the reason why wasn't lost on him. Vegeta had his eye on the son of Goku, who stood at a distance with his mother and Erasa. He'd expected this, naturally; out of every competitor for the tournament, the only one Vegeta would acknowledge besides Goku was Gohan, and, at the most, Android 18. It was only natural that Vegeta would be sizing Gohan up; almost as if he was trying to gauge Gohan's six months of training.  
  
"That man...Vegeta, right?" Erasa whispered to Gohan, jerking her head in the direction of the Saiyan prince, "he's...enough to kill the mood in a room, isn't he?"  
  
"You don't know the half of it," Gohan replied in an equal hushed town, unable to suppress a smile at Erasa's quick assessment of the situation. "Though, when it comes down to it, Vegeta's not a...bad person." Gohan struggled to explain it to Erasa; after all, he had been witness to several of Vegeta's atrocities in the past, not that he wanted to inform Erasa she was in the presence of a man who used to commit genocide as a hobby.  
  
The party continued to wait for a good hour for Yamcha to arrive, and had to amuse themselves during this time. Goten and Trunks, children as they were, were amused with simple games of tag, and even starting to play with Marron, as the daughter of Krillin and 18 seemed to be easily entertained by the two Saiyan children.  The rest of the group were finally in a situation where they were forced to socialize without someone as cheerful as Goku to break the ice and Gohan had to admit it was rather awkward; Bulma and Chi-Chi found themselves making small talk, only interrupted occasionally to snap at their youngest sons for doing something too rough before they turned back to themselves, but this was as far as the social interaction went.   
  
It was finally Android 18, of all people, who broke the ice. Walking over to Gohan and Erasa, who had drifted apart from the group almost on instinct, she looked directly at Erasa before inclining her head in a jerking motion towards Gohan. "So, you and him, huh?"  
  
"W-What!? 18, what are you saying!?" Gohan spluttered, lucky to have made out an intelligible sentence, his face a deep crimson. The shock on Erasa's face mirrored that of Gohan's, a luminescent blush forming in a crimson line across the teenage girl's face.   
  
"18, that's far from polite to intrude on their personal lives like that," Bulma reprimanded the younger woman sternly, causing 18 to flash her a look of only mild annoyance. Despite this, Bulma couldn't help but admit she was intrigued to get confirmation on her earlier suspicions.  
  
"It was only a question..." Android 18 replied dully.  
  
Erasa took a deep breath, slipping her hand into Gohan's, gently pulling the man closer to her, her face still a furious ruby red. "Y-Yeah, Gohan and me." She responded, trying to sound firm despite 18's sudden query making Erasa very embarrassed. All Gohan could do was nod his own confirmation. Bulma and Chi-Chi positively squealed in excitement at this; even Android 18 flashed a supportive smile.   
  
"I knew it, I just _knew_  it," Bulma said excitedly, more to Chi-Chi than Erasa or Gohan, "the moment those two showed up here to tell me about Goku, I knew it was odd that Gohan would be in the company of such a pretty girl without a reason!"  
  
"And she's so shy about it," Chi-Chi gushed to her friend with equal vigor, "you just can't help but want to tease her about it, right? They remind me so much of Goku and myself when we were younger, it's so adorable, I just can't-"  
  
"Tch! Earth women!" Vegeta hissed in disgust.  
  
If Erasa's face could become any brighter, she'd be positively glowing at this point; why did it devolve into this in just a second of admitting her and Gohan's relationship to the group at large?   
  
Android 18 took the two of them aside, giving the gossiping older women a look of exasperation. "That wasn't supposed to happen," She said apologetically. "I can see those kinds of questions are best asked in private." It wasn't entirely Android 18's fault that she lacked any real tact; she hadn't had much in the way of social development before Dr. Gero had captured her and her brother for the sake of experimentation. She was merely behaving  the best way she knew how.  
  
"It's fine," Gohan replied, not at all angry with 18; it had, after all, only been innocent curiosity after all. "We were going to have to tell everyone at some point; I suppose it's better they found out sooner than later."  
  
Mercifully for Erasa and Gohan, no further inquiries into just how far along their relationship had progressed could be uttered, they heard the revving of a vehicle.  
  
Bulma was the first to take a look, raising her hand over her eyes to block out the glare of the morning sun, squinting as she looked into the distance, "Hey, is that them?"  
  
While Bulma was voicing curiosity, Gohan, on the other hand, voiced alarm. "Moving kind of fast, aren't they?"  
  
"They aren't sticking close to the ground." Erasa said, seeing the vehicle swerve as it tried to maintain a set altitude but was failing considerably. "Are they coming towards us?"  
  
"Wait, is that a Capsule Corp vehicle?" Bulma inquired, recognizing the model as a Silver Star Mark VII. Capsule Corp. had acquired the brand several years ago and the car had been one of the first they'd released in the new family line. The closer the vehicle sped closer, two figures came into view in the driver's and passengers seat.  
  
"GET OUT OF THE WAY! HE'S LOST CONTROL!" The Ox-King called frantically, waving his arms in a panic from the passenger's side of the vehicle.   
  
Chi-Chi, ignorant to the danger of the vehicle that was careening towards them, turned at the sound of her father's voice, waving. "Is that Dad!? Oh, it IS Dad! Hi there!"  
  
"I'VE LOST CONTROL! YAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!" Yamcha stuck his head out of the driver's side window, frantically shouting towards his friends as tears sprayed from his face and his lips flapped in the wind pressure.   
  
"He's gonna crash!" Gohan cried, leaping aside, grabbing Erasa under his arm and moving to tackle his mother and Bulma out of the way of the out-of-control of vehicle. It was a credit to his skill that the teenage Saiyan could perform such quick movement and still be careful when grabbing the three human women to avoid applying force beyond that which a human body could take.  
  
The only one that remained calm was Vegeta, who idly raised a single hand to halt the vehicle, preventing it from hitting him or the lawn outright; the force of the sudden stop caused the Ox-King to lurch with the bent fender, while sending Yamcha crashing out of the window and into the lawn, buried comically beneath the grass, headfirst, his lower body sticking out with a light twitch. The Saiyan Prince proceeded to carefully ease the vehicle to the ground, letting go as it hit the lawn, before letting out a very annoyed grunt.  
  
"I almost became a pork roast..." Oolong stepped out of the back of the car, followed by Yamcha's faithful companion Pu'ar.  
  
"Leave it to Yamcha to drive..." Pu'ar felt like he would heave, before collapsing face first along with Oolong on the cool grass of Capsule Corp.'s lawn.  
  
 As the chaos calmed down, Gohan was able to let Bulma, Erasa, and Chi-Chi out of his protective hold, and his mother rushed towards his grandfather frantically, "Daddy! Are you okay?!"  
  
" I'm okay, sweetie," The Ox-King replied shakily, pilling himself from the broken dashboard of the car, patting his chest with a visible seatbelt pulled over his large chest, "I had my seat-belt on."   
  
In a feat of strength that surprised the group, Bulma wrenched Yamcha out of the ground by his ankles before slamming back onto the ground, hard on his back. "What the hell do you think you're doing, trying to kill all of us!? Did you just get your license yesterday!?"  
  
"I-I-I...was trying to show off my new ride," Yamcha stammered, raising his hands defensively while trying to inch away from the angry lavender haired woman, "..picked up...everyone but...contr-GUH!" His explanation, however, was cut short my a barrage of slaps from Bulma in retaliation.  
  
"I'LL SHOW YOU LOST CONTROL!" She shouted furiously as she switched from slapping to kicking the man, causing nearly everyone, even Vegeta, to watch the scene in abject nervousness. Eventually, the former martial artist was left covered in multiple bruises but mercifully nothing too extreme.  
  
While the group was still focused on Yamcha's predicament, Erasa had shifted her attention from this to the crashed car that was standing, smoking and shattered, in front of the Saiyan prince. Her mouth was slightly agape as she remember precisely what Vegeta had done. "D-Did Vegeta just stop a flying vehicle one-handed?"  
  
As he was used to this kind of scenario, it hadn't struck Gohan that Erasa would have found stopping a moving car with a single hand to be something one doesn't see everyday. "Yeah, he did. To tell you the truth, I could have done it myself, but I had to make sure everyone was out of the way before anything else."  
  
"What a crazy life you live, Gohan," Erasa sighed in complete exasperation.  
  
"You got that right," Gohan chuckled.  
  
"With everyone here," Bulma said, straightening up from her discipline session, "I think it's finally time we head on over to Papaya Island! We wouldn't want to miss Goku, right?" Everyone quickly boarded the Capsule Corp. plane, some eager to see Goku, others eager to fight him, and some were a mix of the two. With Bulma behind the wheel, and Vegeta at her side, the plane took off, quickly soaring away from the metropolis of West City.  
  
The sound  of chatter filled the spacious aircraft as the entire group broke off into individual conversations while everyone took a seat. It had been seven years since the entire group — minus a few souls — had met that everyone was playing catch-up with each other, in addition to simply hyping up the return of a new tournament. Goten and Trunks, ignoring the rest of the company in exchange for their own entertainment, were fighting in the background over the window seat.  
  
"So, is Goku really going to come?" Bulma turned her head to look at Gohan, voicing doubt for the first time since she'd actually received the news. "It seems a little...fantastic, doesn't it?" To be fair, she had seen the dead come back to life plenty of times, and even those who weren't wished back could make their way to Earth somehow; Goku's grandfather, Son Gohan, was a primary example of that. "It's not like I've forgotten it's possible...but it's been so long since we've seen Goku..."  
  
"He'll be here!" Gohan agreed readily, unable to repress the excitement in his voice at the return of his father. "I know it's been way too long since we've seen Dad, but let's not start doubting it now. He's never lied to us before, has he? If Dad says he's going to show, he'll be here."  
  
"Goku isn't one to tell a lie," Krillin agreed, readily defending his best friend. "He may not be the smartest, but honesty's always been a trait of his!"  
  
"It's been ages since we've seen him!" The Ox-King, like everyone present, was happy to see his son-in-law return, even if it was just for a day.  
  
"I bet Dad won't recognize you, Krillin!" Gohan exclaimed, pointing at the man's new hairstyle and outfit. Since the fighting days were generally over, Krillin was finally able to relax; he'd stopped shaving his hair and had abandoned the official uniform of the Turtle School in exchange for a look that was far more unique to him.  
  
"Yeah, I doubt it," Krillin agreed, laughing along with Gohan as he scratched the back of his head.   
  
"Are you going to compete, Yamcha?" Master Rōshi, who had regained his bearings from the vomiting session, asked his former student.  
  
"Me? Sorry, Master Rōshi, but my fighting days are long done," The ex-bandit replied, shaking his head firmly. "What with the Super Saiyans, the Super _Namekians_ , among others? I'd just embarrass myself out there."  
  
The conversations continued this way for awhile, and everyone except Vegeta, Android 18, and Erasa were joining in. Given the anti-social nature of the former two, it wasn't difficult to understand why they'd rather remain silent, but Erasa's silence was certainly odd. Chi-Chi was the first to pick up on it, as Gohan was lost in a conversation with Krillin, and looked at the girl in concern.   
  
"Erasa, is something the matter?" The older woman looked over to the other row of seats where the quiet blonde sat, twiddling her fingers.  
  
"Um..." Her innocent blue-eyes looked towards the older woman, and she seemed to be struggling the form a coherent thought, "I know you all keep talking about 'Goku' this and 'Goku' that, but I was thinking..." She went quiet again, as if she didn't want to speak. For all the confidence she had gained in six months, it was certainly not showing in this moment, and it made the entire plane hush, "what if he doesn't like me? Or think I'm fit for Gohan?"  
  
"I can't see that happening," It wasn't Chi-Chi who replied, but Krillin, "I've known Goku for years, and he's forgiven people who honestly had no business being forgiven. I forged a lifelong friendship with him, despite the fact that he and I got off on the wrong foot. I don't know you too well, but you seem to be an earnest kid, so I think Goku will take to you pretty quickly. Besides, if he could forgive _Vegeta_  for everything he tried to do to, I think you're going to be fine."  
  
"Ha!" Vegeta's scornful voice could be heard from the seat directly next to Bulma's. "As if I need forgiveness from the likes of him!" The man crossed his arms, keeping his own face out of view from the rest of the group as he kept his gaze locked on the scenery outside.  
  
"Vegeta, enough of that!" Bulma snapped angrily at her husband, before speaking more gently to Erasa. "Goku is...a very unique kind of person. He's my oldest friend, and I've never known him to despise anyone who hasn't truly deserved it. It's simply not in his nature. You'll see when you meet him, Erasa. He exudes a peaceful kind of aura that makes you feel as if everything is alright when he's there. You don't need to worry so much."  
  
"T-Thanks, you guys," Erasa replied, and true to what Bulma had said, she was already beginning to feel a little more at ease.  
  
"By the way, Vegeta? And Goten and Trunks, this goes for you two as well; let's avoid using the Super Saiyan form while we're participating in the tournament." Gohan cautioned. He'd meant to bring this up earlier, but the conversations had proved to be far too much of a distraction for Gohan to focus. "I've been thinking about it, and this seems like the best way to avert any unnecessary attention."  
  
"Why should we?" Vegeta objected, surprised at Gohan's suggestion.   
  
"Well, think about it," Bulma interjected, "all of you competed in the Cell Games as Super Saiyans; Gohan was a particular shining example of how that transformation stands out. If you activate your Super Saiyan forms in the middle of the tournament arena, it'll simply tip them off instantly!"  
  
"There's also the 'Gold Fighter' complication," Erasa whispered to Gohan, who chuckled weakly, before the teenage Saiyan hastily added his own addendum to Bulma's statement.   
  
"If they found out about our transformations, we'd have the media on our front lawns by the end of the day," Gohan stressed, trying to make Vegeta see their point.  
  
"And we'd simply rip their heads off," Vegeta replied bluntly.  
  
"Vegeta!" Bulma reprimanded the man sharply, as Erasa flinched at Vegeta's very callous suggestion.  
  
"Fine," the man conceded grudgingly, a smirk crossing his face, "if no one uses the Super Saiyan form, we'll be on 'equal' terms. I'll still have the upper-hand, regardless."  
  
"You know it, Dad," Trunks agreed in the background.   
  


* * *

   
  
**Papaya Island, Before Tournament Registration Desk; 1:30 PM**  
  
Erasa had never quite seen a place like Papaya Island before. Granted, she'd been to the beach, and her and Gohan's flying trips with Kinto'un around the continent had treated her to very unique scenery she'd never thought existed, but Papaya Island was something special. Even with the sound of bustling people that filled her ears from the moment she and the rest of the party stepped off the ship, it didn't distracted from the beauty. Beyond the bazaar set up to welcome to competitors and spectactors alike, the island was remarkably lush, the air pure from the foliage that filled the island — primarily, towering palm trees. Docks were adjoined on one corner of the island, leading to a black tarred street straight that went straight into the temple hosting the Tenka'ichi Budōkai. The palm trees that Erasa noticed when she first arrived were aligned either side of the road, arcing over as if to form a covering; additionally, sparse bushes were checkered across the area.  
  
The group made their way inward towards the temple that held the Budōkai, and were quickly overwhelmed by an explosion of noise. The source of the noise quickly became apparent; a plethora of raucous crowds — natives and visitors alike — bustling towards the Budōkai temple. A vast majority of them were wearing shirts emblazoned with the face and name of Mr. Satan, while others seemed to don more sane attire, depending on their preferences. Young and old, man and woman, the crowd walked and ran through the grounds, flowing like a river of people, all of them aiming to get as many souvenirs as they could before they watched the spectacle that was soon to start.  
  
Vegeta was, if anything, annoyed. Bustling crowds, gatherings of noisy humans did little more than grate on the Saiyan prince's nerves, and yet he managed to keep his mouth shut only because he was focusing on the only thing that mattered to him right now — the arrival of Kakarot. If it meant engaging in a battle with that clown once more, he could endure the endless babbling and ramblings of a few human fools.  
  
"Even at festivals, I've never seen a gathering like this," Erasa said in awe, staring at the crowd in wonder, "I didn't know so many people attended the tournament."  
  
"And for all the wrong reasons," Master Rōshi said gravely, walking up beside Erasa, his sunglasses glinting in the glare of the light, "the Budōkai used to be a gathering of true martial artists; masters and apprentices who'd trained for years, honing their skills and talents for just the hope of a chance of competing in this tournament. It was viewed as a prestigious accomplishment for an aspiring martial artist to even make it halfway into the first round at one point. But that's no longer the case; now, it's turned into a commercialized wreck."   
  
Erasa noted for the first time since she'd met the Master, he seemed serious; somber, even, as if the degrading of the Budōkai truly weighed on his conscience.  
  
"I don't like to shift blame, but if I had to say anything, it's because of Mr. Satan," continued  Master Rōshi, and Erasa didn't need to look far to see what he meant. Even young children were running by wearing t-shirts emblazoned with the face of her best friend's father; that ridiculous, gaping grin he always sported for the crowd. She remembered when she had seen Mr. Satan at the festival she attended with Gohan, so many years ago, and smiled sweetly at the memory, before turning her attention back to  Master Rōshi.   
  
"I even heard he tried to replace the normal preliminary rounds with a _punching machine_ ,"Rōshi spoke the last two words with an edge of disgust, "it was only natural that the tournament monks refused. Those are honest men..." As Rōshi's eyes followed another crowd member wearing a shirt with the text that read "HAIL SATAN", he let out a sigh, "I really hate that man."  
  
"He can be...hard to like," Erasa chuckled weakly, remembering her own encounters with Mr. Satan whenever she visited Videl's house. She never had quite taken to him the way other people did.  
  
"I wonder if Goku's here yet?" Yamcha mused, casting a hand over his eye to improve his vision as he looked into the crowd of people for the familiar spiky black hair and orange _gi_  that was the signature of their Saiyan friend. His question went unanswered, as Goku had not yet arrived, and before anyone could press the matter, they hear a giant roar of cheering from the crowd all around them.  
  
The Ox-King craned his head, looking for the cause of the disturbance, "What was that?"  
  
"IT'S MR. SATAN!" One of the women in the crowd shouted at the of her lungs.  
  
"MR. SATAN'S HERE!" Another one, a male this time, cried with equal vigor.  
  
In disturbing unison, the crowd dashed towards Mr. Satan, pushing Erasa, Gohan, and the rest of their friends out of the way as they all crowded around the Champion of the World.  
  
"There he is," Krillin said; he sounded almost amused if he wasn't quite so aggravated, "the 'hero who killed Cell'."  
  
"Look at them all," Trunks said with disgust, "flocking to the old fart like sheep. I wonder if any of them even know how ridiculous their 'hero' really is."  
  
As the crowd all tried to reach for Mr. Satan, the man's personal bodyguards — sharp-faced men in impeccable black suits, who also sported sunshades —desperately trying to keep the crowd back, like a dam holding back the flow of water. While these poor men were being run ragged, Mr. Satan stood tall above the rest, his demeanor as imposing as it ever was to the mindless sheep that followed him, and he let out his raucous, bombastic laugh that Gohan quickily remembered as having found 'grating' on the ears.  
  
"HA HA HA HA!!" The man laughed again, pumping his arms into the air triumphantly, "ALL YOU MR. SATAN FANS OUT THERE! I LOVE YOU!"  
  
"MR. SATAN! MR. SATAN! MR. SATAN!" The crowd roared in response to the man's words, trying once again to move towards him, only to be thwarted by the bodyguards once again.  
  
"Welcome, Mr. Satan!" A female news anchor, blonde with hair that curled down to her back, held a microphone up to Mr. Satan's face, grinning widely, "we're so happy to see you here at the tournament! What do you think your chances of winning the tournament this year are?"  
  
"I'd say I have a 200% chance of winning, mhm," Mr. Satan replied cockily, crossing his arms as he nodded. He wasn't worried; unlike the remainder of the competition, he'd be starting fresh. The former champion didn't need to participate in the preliminary matches, automatically receiving a pass into the tournament. Chuckling at his own personal advantage, the man did not know that present within the crow of people, hanging back from his followers, were several people who could make his life hard.  
  
"I wonder where Goku is..." Chi-Chi looked around for her husband, but like Yamcha before her, found no sign of him. "Did he already go backstage?"  
  
"Gohan, it's Piccolo!" Goten tugged on his older brother's pants eagerly, pointing towards a far more empty area of the Papaya Island bazaar. Standing alone, arms folded with his expression as serious as always, was the Nameless Namekian who took the name Piccolo.  
  
"Hey, Piccolo!" Gohan walked over towards his former teacher, followed by Erasa, who seemed once again very meek in Piccolo's presence, as she had when they visited him on the Lookout. "Have you seen my Dad anywhere?"  
  
"Not yet, I fear," Piccolo replied, grateful to have the company of Gohan after having stood here with nothing but his own thoughts for the past few hours, "but he'll be here."  
  
"Uh...hello again, Mr. Piccolo," Erasa stammered, trying her hand at formality with the Namekian as she didn't quite know how to address him.  
  
The name stunned Piccolo, but only briefly; he then let out a laugh, "I can't remember the last time someone called me that!" He looked down at Erasa with inquisitive eyes, as if analyzing the young girl, "You're the girl that Gohan was hanging around when I last saw you. The name's Erasa, right?"  
  
"Right, that's me," The blonde smiled brightly at Piccolo remembering who she was, even though she couldn't remember introducing herself to him. She didn't pay it any mind however, as occurrences that could seem odd to everyone else were normal around Gohan and his friends; Erasa had learned to take everything in stride.   
  
"I can tell without sensing your energy that you've become a lot stronger. Impressive. I can't wait to see what you're made of in the ring,"  Piccolo said, giving Erasa some very minor praise and encouragement that was unusual coming from him.   
  
"About that..." The girl brushed her short blonde hair to the side with her hands, looking away from Piccolo with a hint of hesitation before inhaling sharply, " I was thinking I should wear something more official. I was only borrowing this _gi_ because it suited the training I was being given by Gohan. But, now that I'm looking at how the two of you dress...can you perhaps give me a uniform matching your school?"  
  
The Namekian's eyes narrowed as his mouth opened slightly in surprise; shaking his head, he closed his eyes and chuckled aloud. "You're certainly something, you know that? I've never seen anyone but Gohan make that kind of request to me before," He opened his eyes, placing his hand over her head, smiling sincerely, "Sure. I can honour that request; just stand still." He emitted a beam of light from his palm that enveloped Erasa's body, and the white training _gi_  she often borrowed from Videl began to change, sparkling at first before it became a _gi_  of dark purple hue, a dark red _obi_ , as well as a flowing Namekian cape and shoes. The contrast to the _gi_  that was adorned by Piccolo was the garment possessed an long-sleeved, sky-blue undershirt, similar to the one Goten himself wore.   
  
The blonde girl gaped as she admired the magically transformed cloak, blinking as her hands run around the cape and tunic in wonderment. "This is...so incredible!" She stuttered, before showing her gratitude by bowing to the Namekian, "Thank you, Master Piccolo!"  
  
Piccolo crossed his arms, smirking, "No need for the formalities, kid. Piccolo will do just fine. It's been hard enough to get Gohan to stop talking to me formally. I don't need two kids acting too polite to me-" His words were cut short by the loud explosion of human gunshots. The noise caused everyone in the crowd to panic— Mr. Satan's bodyguards immediately rushed to shield the man in case of stray shells — and shrill screams filled the crowd.  
  
"Wait...is that?" Piccolo turned on his heels, towards the source of the gunfire. From that direction, he recognized a _ki_  signature, but there was another, foreign signature, who seemed to be the cause of the violence,  "I recognize that energy signature but....the gunner!?"  
  
"YOU WANT SOME O' THIS!?" An angry female voice filled the crowd, attracting the attention of everyone as the source of the gunshots. Gohan and their group rushed ahead, clearing the path to see two faces that were familiar to all or some of them; standing before them was a bald, muscular man wearing a necklace of prayer beads, coloured dark brown, covering a a sleeveless purple tunic top, with a black _obi_  tied around his waist and trailing over his left leg. Wearing a matching purple tunic for his bottoms, he also donned a pair of wooden-clogs that gave him extra height, in addition a familiar pair of wrist bands, also colored purple with black highlights, finishing his look. And yet, despite this startling appearance, the man's most astonishing feature was the third eye in the center of his head.    
  
Floating at his side was a small, child-like individual with pale skin, two red circles on his cheeks, wearing a blue Hanfu-style robe, along with a white cape, dark blue _gi_  pants, and a Mongolian-style hat above his head.  
  
Clinging to the man's arm, however, was a very angry looking woman with long blonde hair that reached to her back, and sharp, emerald eyes that wore an expression of utmost fury that clashed with her beautiful face. She donned a black-halter top covered by a blue-and yellow jacket, emblazoned with the word 'RANCHI', camouflage cargo pants, and laced up, armor-toed boots. With her right arm wrapped into the man's muscular one, she held a sub-machine gun in her other hand, shooting shells directly into the sky as she glared at anyone who even looked at her strangely.  
  
"CLEAR A PATH, WHY DON'TCHA!?" She barked, and everyone cowered out of her way as the unusual party of two proceeded.  
  
"Is that Tenshinhan, Chiaotzu and...Lunch!?" Yamcha gawked at the two; he hadn't seen Tenshinhan or Chiaotzu in seven years. The man and his friend had departed at the end of the Cell Games, outright telling the group that they would more than likely never meet again. And yet here they were, plain as day, and with Lunch of all people clinging to him. She'd been gone even longer than Tenshinhan; ironically, she'd left to chase after the man some time before the Saiyans first arrived on Earth, and they had quite literally never heard from her again. Though to be fair, she had been arrested several times, as her friends had seen on the news. And yet she always managed to escape; if Yamcha recalled correctly, her latest escape had been the 99th successful escape and he was willing to bet she was simply trying for a record of 100.  
  
"That voice...ain't you Yamcha?" Lunch inclined her head, looking at the well-dressed man, and then her eyes widened as she saw the rest of the group that had tagged along, "Well don't that beat all. I didn't ever think I'd run into any of you again, and yet here you all are!"  
  
"Lunch, it's been awhile!" Bulma walked over, smiling at their old friend. Mercifully for the group, 'Bad' Lunch, as the blonde personality was known, had grown to become fond of Goku and his friends during the time she'd spent with them, and Bulma's smile was returned by the sharp-eyed woman.  
  
"Tenshinhan, what brings _you_  here though?" Krillin asked, looking up at the taller man in surprise, "I thought we weren't ever going to see you again, given the way you just left after the Cell Games had concluded."  
  
"To be...perfectly honest..." The man kept looking at Lunch with a kind of discomfort, while his third eye focused entirely on Krillin, "I hadn't intended for us to meet like this. After Gohan's display of strength when he defeated Cell, I knew I had to redouble my training efforts, and I've spent the entire seven years we've been apart training with Chiaotzu. I was resting in a city when I heard about the Tenka'ichi Budōkai; I decided to test my luck and return to the tournament. Perhaps some of you might compete; my intuition was right."  
  
"And _I_  came here because I figured Tenshinhan would be here," Lunch replied, not quite smug, but nearly, and the man eyed her uncomfortably again. Ever since Lunch had reunited with Tenshinhan at the tournament, she'd been deliberately clinging to the man to prevent his escape, and being polite, he hadn't made much of an effort to do so; a decision he was beginning to regret.  
  
"I assume something else brings the lot of you to the tournament?" Tenshinhan inquired, focusing all three of his eyes on his friends. "Beyond the promise of a challenge, of course?"  
  
"Oh that's right, we weren't able to tell you!" Gohan slapped his fist onto his palm, frustrated at his own forgetfulness. "Tenshinhan, my Dad is coming back from the afterlife for a day and he chose the day of the Budōkai! He's going to be _here!_ "  
  
"Your Dad...?" Tenshinhan looked at Gohan blankly; he didn't recognize the man who stood before him immediately, until he got a feel for the teenage Saiyan's familiar _ki_  signature. He'd recognize that anywhere, and the moment realization struck him, he smiled wryly, "Gohan! You've changed quite a bit, haven't you? I'm glad to see you've matured. So, Goku's returning, is he?" The only man Tenshinhan could call a rival, Son Goku, was returning from the dead on the day he chose to compete in the Tenka'ichi Budōkai? "Wonders never do cease...Goku, coming back? I thought I'd seen everything."  
  
"Heh heh!" A familiar laugh chimed in from behind everyone, catching the attention of the entire group, "is someone talking about me?" Recognizing the voice immediately, everyone turned on their heels to see a familiar face standing behind them, accompanied by the Witch, Uranai Baba.  
  
"GOKU!"  
  
"DAD! IT'S YOU!"  
  
"Go....ku..."  
  
"Welcome back..."  
  
The cries came from various people as everyone immediately registered the trademark orange and blue _gi_  and spiky black hair. The man stood before his friends, smiling, even laughing a little, as his took everything in, "Wow! All of you have changed so much in seven years! Gohan, you're huge!"  
  
Despite their earlier exclamation, the shock of seeing that Goku had actually returned briefly stunned the group into silence; with the exception of Lunch — who hadn't known Goku was dead at the time — the majority began to tremble, tears of joy beginning to stream from their face at the sight of seeing Goku again after so many years. In a sudden rush, Gohan, Chi-Chi, Krillin, and even Oolong all rushed to embrace the man. The only ones who stood back were Vegeta and Trunks, the former who wouldn't show any kind of joy at seeing Kakarot return, although the sight of his old rival did finally seem to cause Vegeta to relax, the latter simply didn't know who Goku was. Tenshinhan, Lunch, and Android 18 also stood back, as the former two were composed enough to not devolve into a sniveling mess ast the sight of Goku; Android 18 didn't have much of an opinion on Goku either way, and her programming didn't help in that regard.  
  
"I've missed you so much, Goku!" Chi-Chi practically pushed her way through everyone but her son, embracing her deceased husband with eagerly. She was crying in full now, but the tears that streamed down the widow's face were tears of joy and happiness now, the bitter tears she'd cried for seven years were gone as she felt Goku's warmth once again, "i-it's been so hard without you...!"  
  
Goku returned his wife's embrace gently, a surprisingly tender smile growing on his face as he lifted the woman by the hips off the ground. "I missed you too, Chi-Chi. I'm sorry for leaving you alone for as long as I did." As the man placed his wife back on the ground, he noticed a small shape sneaking around from behind the Ox-King, and then behind Gohan, to finally hide behind Chi-Chi, only peeking around the woman's legs to look up meekly at the man. To Goku's surprise, it was a young boy who looked identical to himself.   
  
"Chi-Chi, is that a miniature 'me' hiding behind your leg?" Goku inquired, peering around his wife's waist, pointing at Goten, who tried his hardest to conceal himself from his father.  
  
"Goten, sweetie, that's your daddy!" Chi-Chi cooed, looking behind her at the meek youngest son. Slipping out of Goku's arms, she knelt down besides Goten, nudging him forward to Goku. "Go on honey, say hi."  
  
"H-hi..." The child stammered, walking forward meekly before stopping short, "I-I'm Goten."  
  
Gently, Goku pushed his friends away, walking towards his youngest son and smiling, "And I'm Goku," He said gently, "Hi."  
  
After what looked like very careful deliberation for Goten, the young boy simply lowered all of his defences and ran towards Goku, who knelt down to catch the excited boy.  
  
"Daddy!"   
  
The force of Goten's own hug nearly toppled Goku, who was surprised at his son's strength, "Whoa there! You're a strong one, aren't ya, little guy!?" He hoisted the miniature version of himself onto his shoulder, perching Goten above nearly everyone else. Eagerly, Goten embraced Goku, laughing excitedly at finally being able to meet his father, and Goku responded in kind, equally as happy to see he and Chi-Chi had added another member to their little family.  
  
"Um..." Not eager to interrupt the bonding between family and friends, Erasa quietly tried to make her presence known, stepping forward and mumbling a greeting to try and get Goku's attention. Due to his enhanced sense of hearing, Goku picked up on Erasa's mumbling despite the fact that she seemed to be trying to go unnoticed.   
  
"Hm? You're a new face," Goku said as he looked at Erasa curiously, and what struck him as being the most odd was her clothing; Namekian in style, just like the clothing that Piccolo and Gohan frequently wear for their fighting, "Are you a friend of Gohan or Piccolo? Or maybe a fan? You're dressed the same!"  
  
"I'm not a fan," Erasa replied quietly, clearing her throat to try and increase her volume and confidence, "I'm Erasa and..." She swallowed, trying to find the easiest way to introduce herself to Gohan's father. After Android 18 had already addressed the issue, she figured being forthcoming and outright tell Goku exactly why she was here. "....I'm Gohan's disciple and his g-girlfriend!" She cried, more loudly than was necessarily, earning her the silence of the group as a whole.  
  
"I-It's nice to meet you..." She trailed off, immediately realizing she may have botched up her first impression.  From behind her, Android 18 could only smirk.  
  
"Oh! So you're Gohan's girlfriend?" Goku flashed a look at his older son, smiling in surprise, "your mother did say that you've have a girlfriend at some point, I just didn't know training her would have come along with the relationship."  
  
"Heh heh...that about sums it up, Dad," Gohan could only smile and laugh, but he was very relieved that Goku seemed to have taken well with Erasa.  
  
"So, how long have you been training with Gohan?" Goku asked curiously, his excitement apparent as he began to list off other inquiries for the befuddled blonde girl, "how'd you meet him? What about your fighting style? Did he teach you any special combos? How did Chi-Chi react to you? Did she scare you?" Goten, still perched on his father's shoulder, paid the adult conversation no mind at all, and was idly toying with his father's signature spiky locks, fascinated with how they resembled his.  
  
"Um...Um...." Erasa was left fumbling and confused, unsure how to answer the rapidfire questions her boyfriend's father had for her; in fact, she was starting to feel conflicted emotions. Happy that Goku seemed to accept her, but confused as to the fact that for a grown man, he was very energetic and had a childlike quality to him, and even more confused because she was starting to piece together what Bulma had said. The moment Goku began talking, she started to feel as if this was someone she could put her faith in, and yet she literally did not know the first thing about him.   
  
"...ku! Goku!" Uranai Baba snapped, her sharp clearing of the throat caused Goku to crane his head over towards the All-Seeing Crone, "if you would kindly listen, let me remind you, you only have 24 hours. That's the most I can do for you."  
  
"Thanks, Baba," Goku waved the woman off as she began to fly in the opposite direction, not even sparing a passing glance at her brother, Master Rōshi, "I'll see you when the day is up!"  
  
"We really should make our way towards the registration counter, before the doors close on us," Piccolo urged, and the entire group began to bustle with the rest of the crowd towards the large desk marked "REGISTRATION". With the entirety of their friends and family occupied, Piccolo took his chance to speak directly to those he knew needed to know of the coming peril.  
  
" _Goku. Tenshinhan. Gohan. Vegeta. It's Piccolo; I'm talking you all of you right now through telepathy. I hate to mar our reunion, especially after such a touching little scene. But I've felt disturbances moving about the Earth in the past few days; shadows that cannot be ignored. I'm going to tell you my suspicions now; stay on your guard, we may have far more to contend with today than simply the Tournament competition_."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> OKAY! Talk about a doozie! But I managed to get this chapter out, and in the middle of the month no less! After my computer troubles and other given issues with the previous chapter, and with my excitement to finally get this chapter out! When people think 'Dragon Ball', a lot of them think 'Super Saiyan' or 'Kamehameha' and while, yes, those are two of my favorite things, I also think "Tenka'ichi Budōkai". Yeah, I've read and re-read the manga quite often and the Tenka'ichi Budōkai is one of my favorite things Toriyama has introduced into the series short of Vegeta and Videl with pigtails (spoiler: she did not cut her hair, those twintails will stay for the duration of this story), and as you can see from Rōshi's statement in this chapter alone, I intend to preserve the original spirit of the Budōkai in my story, as opposed to the circus it became in the Boo Saga. Seriously, punching machines? What kind of preliminary was that? 
> 
> Who was surprised to see Lunch and Tenshinan and Chiaotzu return? Anyone? You have no idea how much I've been waiting to show those two in my story! I've always had a special fondness for those characters, hell, original Dragon Ball in general. So the chance to bring back LUNCH of all people, who I am betting money quite a few people forgot even existed, warms the cockles of my heart. Also, let me take this time to address name spellings: I am using the majority of the names I get from the VIZ Media translated English localized manga. For me, that means names like "Tien" and "Launch" are instead "Tenshinan" and "Lunch". "Roshi" is properly spelled as Rōshi, "Shenron" is "Shénlóng", "Dyna-Caps" are "Hoi-Poi Capsules", "King Kai" is "Kaiō" (you know, as in "Kaiō-ken"?) "World Martial Arts Tournament" as "Tenka'ichi Budōkai", and yes, even "Fortuneteller Baba" is instead "Uranai Baba", or quite literally, "All-Seeing Crone". So if any names or titles appear to be spelled differently here, that's because, chances are, I am using the names from the manga, as opposed to the names from the English dubbed anime. (The only reason I have not spelled Krillin as "Kuririn" is because I'd made too many typos.)
> 
> While we're on the topic of names, Lunch's name is a pretty good stroke of brilliance on the case of Toriyama. Her name is "Lunch", which is a food pun. The dub calls her "Launch", which, while sounding stupid, is technically what one does to a rocket, a type of firearm, which Lunch specializes in using. But the Japanese pronunciation of "Lunch" is "Ranchi", which sounds like "Raunchy", which can fit Bad Lunch's crass speaking patterns and behaviour.
> 
> Also, to anyone curious, as of the moment, no, Tenshinhan and Lunch are not a couple in this series, it's just, the last we heard of her, she went off chasing after Tenshinhan. Why not bring that shit back?
> 
> Anyway, on one final note, I will take a BRIEF break from this story to write a one-shot, then I will return with all new material. This message, naturally, only applies to my viewers who read this story on the day it came out; if it's like years in the future and you're reading this....go check out my story list, you may find the one-shot there! 
> 
> As always, let's thank my friend Mangetsu20 for the proofreading and the brainstorming, it's always appreciated.
> 
> I promise super-exciting action in the next chapter of the Erased Chronicles! See you then!


	15. Chapter 15 - A Matter of Tradition

  
**Last Time on the Erased Chronicles** :  _After 6 Months of Training, the Z Warriors reunite under the nostalgic site of martial artist competition, the Tenka'ichi Budōkai! Tenshinhan and Lunch appear unexpectedly among the group of those awaiting Goku's return. While Vegeta's aggravation seems to boil over noticably, all rejoice upon the friend and beloved family member Son Goku. With Erasa meeting the father of her confirmed boyfriend, Gohan, the rest bask in a bout of happiness before signing in for the Tournament._  


  
_With Hercule Satan's obvious commercialized takeover of the once proud Martial Arts Tournament, will things go as years past? Or will the ominous foreshadowed warning issued by Piccolo will come to pass? Find out, now, in the Erased Chronicles!_

* * *

"Please hurry, the preliminaries will begin in just a few minutes!" One of the tournament monks called through a megaphone, ensuring his voice carried to the crowd at large. "All participants, please proceed this way! Spectators, please make your way to the stands until the tournament is resolved!"

The two respective crowds of people bustled off in different directions; the spectators, eager to see Mr. Satan fight in the ring, made their way towards the stands, while the main competitors followed the sound of the monk towards the tournament temple. The sound of chattering filled the arena again as the excited contestants began speaking with friends and foe alike, some discussing how they would use — and abuse — the prize money if they won, and others talking about precisely what round they would deliver a flashy finishing move. 'True' competitors indeed.

While they made their way towards the locker rooms to change, Goku, with Goten tagging close to his father, was using the opportunity to try and catch up with his friends using whatever brief time he had. So much had changed in seven years that, even with Piccolo's grave warning, Goku couldn't resist getting the lowdown on everything he'd missed due to being dead. 

"So, Krillin, I thought you were bald," Goku gestured to his best friend's current hairstyle, surprised to see the shaggy mane covering the formerly bald scalp, "so what's with the new 'do? Did you get into wigs while I was gone?"

"I told you before, Goku, I _shaved_  it," Krillin reminded him sharply, nonplussed that Goku had forgotten one of the first things he'd ever actually said to him, "it's something monks at the Orin Temple all do. Shaving your head, as they said, was supposed to aid in _ki_  control. Even if I only did it to emulate Master Rōshi..." He trailed off after the last part, never fond of admitting the basis for shaving his head, due to one particular reason.

"I'm just naturally bald," Rōshi interjected shamelessly, causing Krillin to flush slightly.

"I'm aware!" He responded irritably, before turning back to Goku. "Now that the world isn't in danger anymore, I can wind down, so I don't need to shave my head anymore."

"I bet you did it to impress some woman," Goku chided smugly, knowing Krillin and Roshi were fundamentally the same when it came to their motivations.

"You'd be...half-right," Krillin grudgingly acknowledged what Goku had said, and gestured to Android 18, who was walking behind him. The blonde woman looked at Goku with her icy blue eyes, seeming neither fond of him or antagonistic towards him. While she loathed to admit some vestiges of her former programming lingered, Bulma had done a decent job ensuring 18's former programming would not cause her to have a compulsion to kill the Saiyan that stood before her.

"Huh!?" Goku gaped, stopping entirely to gawk at the cyborg, "Android 18!? Is that you!?"

"It took you long enough," 18 replied icily. 

"18 and I are married," Krillin replied, smiling with a different sort of blush on his face now, "and she and I live at Master Rōshi's house. We even have a daughter — the little girl you saw earlier, actually."

"That girl was-!?" Goku exclaimed, unable to finish his sentence as he flashed a look at the very bitter Android 18, whose stare would freeze most men solid at this point, and the innocent-faced blonde baby she held close to herself. "That's impossible!" He leaned close to Krillin, muttering so only they would hear what he was saying, "I mean...how does a robot have a child?"

"She's not a robot, she's a _cyborg_ ," Krillin stressed the difference between the two terms for Goku to understand, "she's was formerly human anyway, Dr. Gero just fitted her and 17 with cybernetic enhancements." The latter earned a scoff from 18, who wasn't quite yet so hard of hearing and didn't consider anything Gero had done for her to be an 'enhancement'. 

"Um, Mr. Goku?" Erasa approached Goku tentatively, fidgeting around as the deceased Saiyan turned his attention to the purple-clad girl. "Can I ask you something?"

"Just call me 'Goku'," The orange-clad man replied cheerfully, "and sure, feel free to ask away."

Erasa gestured towards Goku's halo before continuing, so as to immediately address the topic at hand. "You're dead, right? That's what the halo is for?"

Goku eyed the ring of light floating above his head, before replying with innocent cheer, "Yep, I'm about as dead as you can get! It's what the halo is for, after all."

"Well..." Erasa's eyes shifted briefly, as if she wanted to avoid the subject, but at the same time, knew she should broach it now, "my mother...she died seven years ago, when I was young. I was wondering, since you've been to the afterlife...maybe you got a chance to see her? You died in the same year she did, right? Was it possible?"

It was Goku's turn to cast a shifted glance away from the young girl now, and he scratched the back of his spiky-tresses nervously. "Well...that's a little hard to explain," Goku scrunched his brows,  stroking his chin pensively, mulling over the ways to explain it to Erasa, "From what I've been told, only a select few people who've done noble deeds are allowed to keep their bodies when they die. I know your mom might have been a great person, but I don't think she and I would have met in Other World."

"So that's a no," Erasa looked down morosely; while she had certainly expected the reply, it didn't mean she wasn't disappointed, "I had a feeling you'd say something like that..."

Goku placed a hand on Erasa's shoulder and flashing a comforting smile at young girl. "I'm sorry. But I do know if your mom is anything like you, she's probably in a better place right now."

Forcing a smile, Erasa looked back at Goku, meeting this eyes, "Thanks...Goku."

"Ahaha, don't mention it!" Scratching the back of his head, Goku laughed sheepishly, "Truth be told, I'm a little jealous of you."

Erasa gawked, utterly stunned at this minor revelation, "Jealous...of me?"

"Yeah, a little," Scratching the side of his head, Goku's smile softened, "See, I never really had much of a childhood. I was pretty much on my own, and I only had my Grandpa, who I named my son after.  But, before that, I fell down a cliff, hitting my head hard on the rocks, and almost didn't make it. As a result...I don't really remember who my real parents were or what my old life was like."

"Wow," The blonde girl swallowed hard as she tried to imagine not being able to remember her mom. This difference between her and Goku caused her to smiled a bit more gratefully at this line of thought, "I guess I never thought about just remembering my mom is so nice. I mean, if they're anything like you, I'm sure they were good people too, right?"

"I'd like to think so,"  Goku smiled earnestly, crossing his arms over his chest and casting a glance towards the sky, "Though my only surviving family member that I've met didn't exactly give me your typical family reunion. So, you could say I have my doubts."

"If you don't mind me saying," Erasa began to respond, earning Goku's downward gaze with genuine curiosity, she continued with a beaming smile, "whether or not your parents were nice doesn't matter. The fact that you and Chi-Chi were such good parents to Gohan and Goten is what counts. One person's bad legacy doesn't need to be passed on to their children, right?"

"No, I suppose not," Goku smiled back, liking what he heard from the young golden-tressed girl. Placing his hands on his hips, he nodded approvingly at Erasa, "you got a good head on your shoulders, Erasa. I'm sure when the time comes, you'll be a great help to Gohan when he needs you the most. You guys might make a better team than his mother and I ever was."

"Thanks," Erasa smiled, if not a little bashfully as her cheeks briefly lit up in crimson, "I needed that."

"Thank you as well," Goku laughed lightheartedly, smiling genuinely pleased at her, "I couldn't have asked for a better girl to be by my son's side."

* * *

After some of their members making liberal use of the changing room, the Z Warriors had amassed in the preliminaries hall, waiting for the announcement of the preliminary matches to begin. The group had trimmed down in the recent few minutes, as Chi-Chi, Bulma, Marron, and the other members of the group who either could not fight or were not partaking in the tournament beyond the festivities, had departed to the stadium grounds.

Goten and Trunks, on the other hand, had come to the stark realization they wouldn't be able to fight against Gohan, Goku, or Vegeta in this tournament, due to  a new set of rules in place that restricted fighters younger than 15 from fighting with the adults, and had been forced to enter the Youth Division. The Youth Division lacked a preliminary round, and was already starting to make headway on the outside of the Preliminary Hall.

"Doesn't this bring back memories?" Tenshinshan walked over to Goku and Krillin, the latter of whom had not donned a Turtle School Uniform for the sake of fighting in the tournament, but rather chose to fight without a banner this time. The three competitors looked around the bustling building, and set about it were thick, wooden stages, no more 10 meters in diameter, meant to mimic the stage of the Budōkai, albeit on a smaller scale. 

"I think the tournament gets bigger every time we compete," Krillin noted, smiling as he remembered his first time competing in the tournament, "if anything, there's more competitors now than ever before. How do you think that'll affect the match-ups?"

"Dunno," Goku replied, performing a few simple stretches, prepping himself for his first match of the preliminaries, "but I think there'll be more matches than normal this time around, unless they want to eliminate quite a bit of the competition of compensate."

"Do fools always become so lax when thrown into a lion's den?" A sneer caught the attention of the three; it was a voice that was only too familiar to them. Turning on their heels, they were confronted by a man clad in what seemed to be armor at first sight, but closer inspection revealed to be machinery grafted into his very body. Adorned with a pink chang pao, emblazoned with 殺 on the chest, the man himself was rather wiry, with a thin moustache and braided ponytail that hung past his shoulders.

"Tao Pai Pai!" Tenshinhan was the first to react, voicing shock at the appearance of his former teacher's younger sibling. "You...why are you here?"

"As if the answer to such a question wasn't obvious," the cyborg-mercenary smirked, his thin whiskers raising along with his lips, "I'm here to kill you and Son Goku."

"The same old song and dance, then?" Goku replied, his onyx eyes giving Tao a once over. Fitting for a cyborg, Goku couldn't sense the man's _ki_ ; despite this, Tao gave off a different vibe from before. Goku and Tenshinshan, who had encountered the man under similar and different circumstances many times in the past, could both tell the same thing; he had, at the least, improved. The question of how much remained to be seen. "I'd have thought you'd seen the error of your ways when you fought Tenshinhan in our last tournament, Tao."

"A simple defeat such as that is nothing more than a minor setback," Tao replied haughtily, the lenses he used as optic centers made a brief whirring noise, as if they were analyzing Goku, Tenshinhan, and Krillin. "Our last meeting may have been...humiliating...but I assure you, this time, there shall be no room for error. I will kill you both swiftly, and without mercy; enjoy the time you spend yet breathing." Turning swiftly, the man walked away, getting lost in the crowd.

"...He's always the charmer, isn't he?" Krillin sighed, watching Tao go with an air of irritability. "It's hard to believe he hasn't given up yet."

"Do you sense that other guy?" Goku queried, looking as if he was trying to place a name. "The Crane...something or other?"

"If you're referring to Master Shen, no, I don't," Tenshinhan replied, all three of his eyes glancing in different directions, "nor can I see him, even in the distance. It would appear that Tao, regardless of his plans, is alone."

"Who was that man, Gohan?" Erasa watched Tao leave, befuddled by the man's strangeness, "I couldn't sense his energy like everyone else's. There's a...void where he should be standing. Just like with Miss 18."

"I met him a few years ago, only a days before I first met you, actually. He's called Tao Pai Pai," Gohan replied, sighing, "and from the look of it, he's become a cyborg. Mechanical appliances interfere with the ability to sense _ki_ , muffling it like a jammer does for wireless signals. When it comes to opponents who have been sufficiently altered by cybernetics, you'll have to rely on your eyes and intuition."

"So it hasn't been five minutes and I've already found a weird challenger," Erasa mused. She got the feeling that she'd be encountering quite a lot of people like this not only in the tournament, but the longer she stayed around Gohan. And yet she couldn't find itself in her to complain. 

The whine of a microphone filled the room, silencing the chatter that echoed so pervasively throughout the building. Everyone turned their attention to one of the several wide mats, where an elderly monk had stepped over the berth of it, and was currently trying to make the microphone match his diminutive stature. Clearing his throat, he stepped towards the mike.

"Welcome, one and all, to the Tenka'ichi Budōkai," The elderly monk wheezed, his thick mustache trembling with his speech, "I'm honoured to address so many spirited competitors. For years, masters from all over the world have trained for this day, each aspiring to attain the title 'Strongest Under the Heavens'. With 194 competitors, it gives me great satisfaction to bring the Tenka'ichi Budōkai to you all in its purest state."

Erasa caught more to the last few words than most people in the audience had. Master Rōshi mentioned earlier that Mr. Satan had tried to commercialize the Budōkai, but the staff had ruled against him. While he may be Videl's father, Erasa couldn't help but think the man had an insufferable aspect about him that she'd come to find unbearable. So the idea of the tournament staff undermining was something she found satisfying.

"While certain...others...may be displeased with our insistence to carry on the tournament in its original state as a matter of tradition, the monks of Papaya Island Temple feel it to be a necessary measure to ensure the authenticity of this sacred event," The elderly monk continued, a hint of acid in his voice at the mention of a certain 'other' that could only mean Mr. Satan, "and now, without further ado, let me explain the rules to all of you present."

Contestants who had entered the tournament before had their attention diverted elsewhere; they knew the rules like the back of their hands, and a refresher course wasn't necessary. It was only newcomers, such as Erasa, who paid close attention, to avoid making a fatal mistake, or Vegeta, who simply played along to ensure he would have his chance at fighting Kakarot in the actual competition. Disqualification in the preliminary round as not an option he could afford; in his impatience, the Saiyan prince tapped his foot and gnashed his teeth.

"All contestants will do battle atop these mats," The monk made a wide gesture to the thick platforms that dotted the room, showing these were indeed meant to symbolize the arena, "and if you fall off the sides, fall unconscious, plead "mercy", or cry, you will lose the match. Killing your opponent is **strictly**  prohibited; additionally, the use of weapons, or wearing of armor, is forbidden as well. These actions earn immediate disqualification. To ensure the proceedings move quickly, the qualifying rounds have a time limit of a minute; go over the time and the winner will be decided by the judges!"

"These rules are ridiculous," Vegeta muttered incredulously; he had already abandoned the protective plating provided by his Saiyan armor, wearing only the jumpsuit. To a Saiyan from the Planetary Trade Organization, he may as well have been fighting in his undergarments. This alone was enough to embarrass him; and yet now he had to restrain himself against competition that wasn't even worth his time? Ludicrous.

"Due to the staggering number of competitors entering in this year's tournament, the preliminary rounds have been divided into seven blocks, and the two victors from each block — excepting the final block, due to Mr. Satan already gaining his entry spot — will be entered as the finalists in the first round of the tournament," the elderly monk continued, making his final touches to the speech, "and now, if each of you could please step forward and pick out slip of paper. Compare the number written on the paper to the numbers listed on the board, and proceed to the block with your number."

"This is starting to feel like qualifying for high school," Erasa whispered, causing Gohan to chuckle at the accuracy of the statement as each contestant drew a white slip of paper out from a box held by one of several different, bespectacled monks. After several minutes of drawing the lots, every competitor had a number, and the Z-warriors themselves found each of them split among multiple blocks; Erasa was in Block 3, Goku and Vegeta were in separate sections of Block 4, Piccolo was in Block 5, Krillin Block 6, Tenshinhan in Block 1 and Android 18 and Gohan found themselves in Block 2. None of the Z Warriors found themselves in Block 7, the final Block.

"I'm not going to fight Gohan, I'm not going to fight Gohan, I'm not going to fight Gohan," Erasa breathed, making her way towards Block 2. If she could say anything, she was relieved; not only did she not want to fight Gohan, she knew she more than likely would lose if she actually tried. Against everyone else, she might have a fairer chance. She performed a brief stretch, getting her blood flowing as she approached the mat. 

"The matches for Block 2 will now commence," The proctor monk announced, slapping a rod against a sign emblazoned with '2'. "Will numbers 25 and 26 please step onto the mat?"

Twenty-five. That was Erasa's number. She slowly clambered onto the thick surface of the mat, her cape fluttering with her movement.

"This little girl wants to qualify?" One of the other competitors in Block 2, not yet on the stage, questioned in disbelief. "She can't be much older than a high-school kid. And what's with that odd get-up?"

"Whoever her opponent is will be pretty lucky," Another man replied, smirking slightly, "a free win against a cute face."

The blonde girl's eyes twitched, her sapphire orbs glimmering with the fire of annoyance. However, the time to think about the remarks she was getting from the sidelines ran out quickly, as her opponent joined her in the ring. Erasa flinched instinctively at the sight of him; a rather muscular man with messy brown hair and a bushy mustache to match. He wore only the pants of martial arts _gi_ , and had chest and arm hair so thick, Erasa briefly wondered if he was an ape that had mistakenly made it into the tournament.

"You have one minute! Begin!"

"So my competition is just a child, eh?" Erasa's opponent grunted with indignation, taking a stance. "Worry not, girl, I'll make your defeat swift!"

It was from that remark that Erasa's fear transformed into resentment; she flashed an affronted glare at the ape-like man before taking her own stance. If everyone was so quick to doubt her based on age and gender, she'd show them just how wrong they were. Knowing their seconds were ticking, Erasa lunged forward, diving right towards her opponent.

"An amateur mistake," The man guffawed, before cocking his fist back. "You make this too easy, child!" The man thrust forward with as much force as he could, aiming to knock Erasa unconscious. And yet, to his surprise, she vanished, a second before his fist made contact with her face.

It was a feint.

"Boo!" She crowed, and the man turned, just in time to see Erasa appear behind him. Finally able to stretch her muscles without restraint for the first time in months, the girl could feel power rushing through her body, and slammed her elbow directly into her opponent's chiseled gut. Doubling over in pain, the force of the blow sent him careening out of the ring, landing on the hardwood and losing consciousness. 

"Number 35 is the victor!" The monk announced, much to the entire Block's utter confusion.

"Did you see that?" 

"She knocked him out of the ring with one blow!"

"And she moved so fast!"

Whispers of the match carried throughout the competitors in Block 2 for several moments, but Erasa was deaf to them. Jumping out from the ring, she was looking at her hands, and began to flex her fingers. She could still feel the rush of power she had moments ago, although it was dying down now. And she came to a stark realization.

" _I need to hold back against these guys_ ," She thought to herself, turning her attention towards the mat as two new opponents, numbers 27 and 28, stepped up. One was a shirtless man with a bowl-cut hair style, covered in several scars. The other was a sharp-eyed, bespectacled woman who looked far more like a librarian than a martial artist. To her left, medics had arrived to remove her own opponent from the scene. " _When I hit that guy, I felt several of his ribs fracture...was it seven? No, it might have been eight. I don't want to cause anyone any lasting damage."_

The victor was announced, and though Erasa hadn't heard the number, she saw the librarian woman saunter off victoriously; casting an eye towards the ring, the bowl-cut man was on his knees, clutching his stomach. Had a minute passed? Or had he begged for mercy? She was so lost in her own thoughts she'd missed the entirety of the fight. Distracting her from her thoughts was a sharp tap on her shoulder; turning to look behind her, Erasa saw a girl with ebony-tresses, tied up in familiar twin-tails, and vivid blue eyes, dressed in a pink t-shirt, cut off to reveal her midriff, that was covered by a white tank-top, camoflauge sweatpants, and thick, belt-strapped boots.

"Videl!" Erasa crowed, recognizing her best friend despite the minor changes to her aesthetics. "You made it!" She wrapped her friend in a hug that Videl returned with equal vigor, smiling brightly before they let go.

"Yeah, I'm here," Videl waved it off, continuing to smile, "and I see you won your preliminary match." Her bright blue eyes watched as the medics hoisted the man out of the room, already having procured a stretcher. Something was off about her gaze, as if she wasn't truly looking at the man himself.

"I can't believe we're both in Block 2!" Erasa squealed, oblivious to her friend's detachment. "What number are you?"

Videl looked at the slip of paper in her hand, which read 'forty' in black, block letters. She told Erasa her number, and the girl couldn't help but smile. 

"That's great! We won't be matched up in the preliminaries then!" Erasa felt relieved. 

"Yeah, that's fantastic," Videl replied in an offhand manner, and her eyes swiveled around the room, as if she was searching for someone. This did not go unnoticed by Erasa, whose happy expression turned to one of confusion.

"Is something the matter?"

"Not really...just looking for Dad, actually, but I haven't been able to find him," the ebony-tressed girl replied in a genuinely dejected manner, "so I guess he's still sulking that the tournament officials didn't take his recommendations to heart."

"Guess both of our Dads are running late," replied Erasa, chuckling weakly. She knew Videl was bothered by more than this, but a half-truth was better than a complete lie, and she scratched her blonde hair. "I couldn't find Dad when I got here, and since I had to go with the rest of the group when Gohan's Dad showed up, I'm just running under the assumption he's late. If I qualify, I'll make a point to find him before the matches are decided."

"The 'group'?" Videl inquired. Since when had Erasa traveled with 'groups'?

"Gohan and his family and friends," Erasa explained, wishing she could show Videl the people she'd gotten to meet in just one day. "You'd like them, they're all really some characters. And I even met Gohan's Dad! Son Goku is his name, and he's a really kind man. I was scared at first, but then I got to talking to him and...I really like him. He reminds me so much of Gohan."

"Son Goku," the name was the only thing Videl really registered, paying a passing irritate glare at the mention of Gohan introducing Erasa to his friends and family. Goku was the winner of a previous Tenka'ichi Budōkai, the 23rd. Her own father, Mr. Satan, had won handily in the 24th Tenka'ichi Budōkai, which was held a few years after the Cell Games. Snorting briefly at the irony, she knew one thing; if Goku was here, this could be her chance. Erasa and Gohan would surely be impressed if she could defeat Son Goku in battle, no? "So he's here, is he?"

Again, Erasa didn't miss the subtle shift in Videl's body language; the very moment Erasa had mentioned Goku's name, Videl's entire demeanor changed. She became alert, focused, and a determined expression that Erasa simply did not like had crossed the girl's face. But to avoid suspicious, Erasa nodded, motioning over to Block 4, where Goku, clad in a the bright orange and blue of the Turtle Uniform, complete with a glowing Halo, stood out like a sore thumb.

Videl's eyes narrowed; she recognized him from newspaper clippings that her Dad had. That was definitely Son Goku. Not knowing the full depth of her ignorance, the girl smiled. She found her newest target.

* * *

The preliminaries proceeded smoothly, almost uneventfully, as the mundane fighters made their stands on the blocks. Nothing truly remarkable, like Erasa's match, happened until Vegeta stepped into the preliminary ring, and came face-to-face with his opponent.

His opponent was a dark-skinned, burly man who went by the name of 'Killa'. When the man spoke, nothing but gibberish, rushed and incoherent, escaped his mouth. Perhaps this was the result of one-too-many blows to the head, or maybe damage to the throat. Beckoning Vegeta forward, his lips curled into a smirk. Whatever he was saying, he sounded confident he could win.

"Of all the riffraff I could be stuck with in a first round match...!" Vegeta growled, grinding his teeth as a vein throbbed in his temple.

"You have one minute! Begin!"

"And _you_  have one second to stand aside." Vegeta ordered sharply to Killa, who reacted with shock.

Speaking in turn with simply more gibberish, the tone made it obvious that he was denying Vegeta's — arguably generous — offer of mercy. Angered by the Saiyan prince's words, he charged forward, his fist cocked to the side. 

"There truly _is_  one born every minute." Vegeta jabbed the air in Killa's direction, the sheer force of his punch — no more than a love tap by his standards — created a funnel of wind that lifted Killa off his feet and sent him slamming into the nearest wall, through which he crashed, falling onto the hard concrete outside.

"W-W-W-We have a winner!" The proctor called out, before calling for the medics in a hurried panic.

"You could have gone a little easier on him, Vegeta," Goku admonished, as Vegeta hopped down from the mat, walking through the stunned crowd, many of whom avoided the man almost instinctively, "I think you may have broken something on him."

"And he should be lucky it's nothing more than that," was the Saiyan prince's crisp reply. He jabbed a gloved finger at Goku's chin. "I'm here for one reason, and one reason only — to fight _you_ , Kakarot, in a place where you can't try and weasel out of it. All of this is just a sideshow until we get to our match, do you understand me?"

"Loud and clear, Vegeta," Goku replied, and he had to admit, even if he disagreed with Vegeta's methods, he was looking forward to the possibility of their fight as much as Vegeta himself.

" _Act smug while you can, Kakarot_ ," Vegeta thought, crossing his arms as he stared, uninterested, at the mat for the next match to begin, " _before this tournament is done, I'll have finally defeated you. Just you wait_."

* * *

" _I almost feel guilty_ ," Tenshinshan thought, as he thrust his own opponent out of the ring with relative ease. His match had only last five seconds, and wrapped up the first half of his Block. Stepping off the mat, he cracked his neck, his third eye taking in the stunned expressions with a kind of resignation. It wasn't anything he wasn't used to. " _The majority of these competitors aren't used to the power we're going to display in this tournament are beyond their level. It almost feels like we're taking a prize from someone."_

Brushing past him was a teenager with sleek black hair, tinted with the slightest green sheen, and spiked only near the back. He wore a simple, sleeveless yellow t-shirt and blue-gi pants, as well as black shoes without socks. Tenshinshan turned, analyzing the boy with all three eyes, and a smile crossed his face. " _I might be wrong about some of the competition after all."_

The announcer proceeded to call the numbers for the next match, and the boy Tenshinshan had just seen stepped onto the mat, followed by man with flaming red hair, wearing formal training _gi_. His most notable trait was a long scar running down his left eye that forced it shut; while most would cover this with a patch, this man left the scar to show. It would have made him intimidating to most; but not to this boy.

"You have one minute! Begin!"

"Heh" The boy slammed his fist into his open palm. "I was told to come to this tournament because it would make for a good training exercise, but I don't think that old woman knew what she was talking about. None of you guys look like you're going to put up much of a fight."

"Are all upstarts as mouthy as you are?" The red-haired man asked, keeping a surprisingly calm attitude in the face of the boy's smart mouth. 

"You'll find plenty 'round my hometown," The boy replied smugly. "Now c'mon, our time is ticking, isn't it, old man?" The boy took a stance, and his opponent did likewise.

" _What stance is this_? _"_ The man thought to himself in bewilderment. " _No proper defence erected, so full of holes_."

Tenshinhan had a differing opinion; this boy seemed like a natural. For one so young — he barely seemed older than Gohan or Erasa, and unlike the former, Tenshinhan believed he was assuredly human — he was controlling his _ki_  finely. Unlike the other human competitors, who had either dim lights or flickering embers, this boy's energy manifested as a blaze that licked away like a finely controlled flame. Tenshinhan could feel it; just tensing his body caused his energy to rise. His opponent didn't have a chance.

With a roar, the boy's opponent launched himself forward, throwing all of his physical force behind his movement, the boy stood his ground. Refining the flow of his energy, he thrust his palm out, connecting with the chest of his would-be-assailant. There was a brilliant flash, energy expelling itself from his palm and forcing his opponent off the mat and into a wall, knocking him unconscious. 

The proctor blinked, before deciding the strange new boy the winner.

" _Seems the new generation is where the real talent is_ ," Tenshinhan noted to himself, mentally comparing the new boy and Erasa, sizing them up. The two may be about equal; if they fought in the tournament, it could prove interesting.

* * *

In Block 2, Videl's first match had finally come around, and she clambered onto the mat, watched by an eager Erasa.

Number Forty-One, her opponent, followed her onto the mat. 'Number Forty-One' was a muscular man twice the height of Videl; he wore a frayed sleeveless white gi top with a pair of slacks of identical coloring to match. A red bandana was wrapped around his forehead, trailing down to rest just over his shoulders and the top of his back. White bandages wrapped around his knuckles over his palms up to his forearms were seen, along with similar wrappings positioned over his ankles up to his shins. With a red obi tied over his waist, the man had a look of experience and eagerness about him, truly wanting to test his mettle in the Tournament.

"You have one minute! Begin!" 

"I won't waste our precious minute with too much talk, little girl." The man said hurriedly. "You're the daughter of Mr. Satan. I won't underestimate you. Come at me with everything."

"Arrogant, aren't we?" Videl replied briskly, before taking a stance. The mention of her father struck a nerve; not with her opponent, but with Mr. Satan himself. Videl had hoped her father would be here to watch the preliminaries, even if he didn't have to compete in them. And yet he was lazing about somewhere, when she wanted to show off to him. She hoped Erasa would at least appreciate the show.

Her opponent closed the distance within moments, slamming his fist towards the ebony-tressed girl. Videl ducked, feeling a gust of wind blast over her head from sheer air pressure — she could feel it. This man was strong. Retaliating, Videl thrust her fist forward, slamming it violently into the man's stomach. The pain caused him to double over, wheezing and Videl refused to waste an opportunity. She balanced herself on the palms of her hands, spreading her legs apart and rotating her body like a violent human helicopter. Spiraling towards number Forty-One, her legs slammed into the man repeatedly, before she leapt up into the air and descended, knocking him, with a sickening crack of either skull or wood, through the mat with a falling axe kick.

"W-We have a winner!" The proctor announced as the timer rang. "Please, someone, we have another for the Emergency Room!"

Videl hopped off the mat, brushing herself off and walking over to Erasa. "So, what did you think?" She asked eagerly, a sparkle in her vibrant blue-eyes. "Haven't I gotten better?"

"You've gotten better, that much is true...." Erasa cautioned, speaking slowly and deliberately, "but don't you think that was a bit...excessive?"

"Excessive?" Videl repeated icily.

"You didn't hold back anything on that man," Erasa explained, pointing to the hole Videl had created when she forced the man's head through the wooden fighting mat, "and you looked like you wanted to kill him, rather than fight him. You used excessive force on someone who didn't really need it; he was a spirited competitor, I heard him. It was more unsettling to watch than impressive, no matter how strong you've gotten."

"What about _you_?" Videl hissed like an angry cat, with an expression to match. "How many of your opponent's ribs did you break?"

"That was different, I was trying to hold back!"

"Don't give me that!" Videl snarled before turning on her heel. "I'm done talking, Erasa. I'll see you in the ring and we'll settle this matter there!" Without another word, she walked off towards the other edge of Block 2's fighting mat, looking thoroughly sullen.

"Videl!" Erasa called after her but her best friend ignored her, leaving Erasa standing alone and thoroughly confused.

* * *

The preliminaries continued with each and every Z-Warrior, as well as some unique and promising competitors, sweeping through their matches, until each Block had garnered the Champions meant to proceed to the first round of the Adult Division of the Tenka'ichi Budōkai. With all other competitors defeated and leaving the building — and several unfortunate encounters with the Z-Warriors had led to others being rushed to the hospital wing — the winners of the preliminary round gathered in a line before one of the temple monks.

"Erasa! How'd you do?" Gohan smiled, hugging Erasa, which she returned eagerly, smiling brightly.

"I managed to pull through as one of the preliminary victors!" She replied, smiling as they took their place in the line. "It's already a given that you and your Dad are in. And," the blonde girl looked up down the line, seeing Goku, Vegeta, Piccolo, Tenshinhan, Android 18, Krillin, and even Videl taking their places in the line in front of the monk, "it looks like everyone we know pulled through as well."

"Is that Videl? Hey Videl! Over here!" Gohan called over to the ebony-tressed girl, waving and casting a friendly smile. Videl looked up to find the source of the sound, saw Gohan, scowled, and turned away. "Hey, what's wrong with here?"

"Nothing...I hope," Erasa replied untruthfully. 

" _Ahem_ ," The monk cleared his throat, and everyone in the line turned their attention to the portly, bespectacled man. "All of you assembled in this line, you fifteen competitors, have made it through the preliminary rounds to the first round of the Tenka'ichi Budōkai! Congratulations!"

If this congratulations was meant to garner a reaction from the line, it failed. While Erasa and Gohan smiled to themselves, and Goku waved cheerfully, the remainder didn't budge, and the monk quickly assessed the awkward situation and continued speaking. 

"This is proof that each of you is one of the strongest martial artists alive in the world, and of this honour you should be proud! You're hereby dismissed until the conclusion of the Youth Division; consider this a temporary recess to regain your energy. Perhaps you'll eat a lunch; mingle with some of the guests arriving late, or go watch the final rounds of the Youth Division! The official match-ups will be decided when the Youth Division concludes; until then, good luck!"

The line filed out, with every competitor moving their own way, and the only truly large party remaining being the Z-Warriors, admittedly also the most dubious looking group of the lot. 

"So what will we do to go kill time?" Gohan asked to no one in particular. "It seems we've got a little bit of a wait ahead of us. Should we go watch the Youth Division?"

"Is there any reason to yet?" Krillin smirked. "I don't feel Goten and Trunks actively fighting out there, and I think we all know the matches won't be anything worth watching until those two little squirts step into the ring."

"You've got a point," Gohan had to agree.

"Why don't we go grab a bite to eat?" Goku suggested, smiling. "I haven't eaten since I was with King Kai and I'm starving!"

"I second that!" laughed Gohan, eager to have a meal with his father again.

"Go on without me then," Piccolo suggested; he'd seen Saiyans eat before, and it had to be a bodily function he found disgusting, "I'll wait here and we can meet up when you're done."

"Sounds good!" Goku replied, and was the first to lead the group — followed by a begrudging Vegeta and an unwilling Tenshinhan — towards the cafeteria. Besides Piccolo, only Erasa didn't immediately follow, which caused Gohan to turn back.

"Aren't you coming, Erasa?"

"I'll catch up," Erasa replied, floating a few feet off the ground and beginning to make way for the exit, "I'm going to find my Dad first! Save me some good, Gohan!"

"Sure!" The Saiyan-hybrid replied, before following his father and the rest of the group towards their next meal.

"That girl..." Piccolo chuckled. "She asked a Saiyan to do the impossible." Never in his life had he seen a Saiyan 'save' anything at a table; the girl was more likely to walk into a scene where the table resembled a massacre than anything resembling an ordinary dinner.

"Hello. Are you on the one called Piccolo?" A smooth and eloquent voice caught the ears of the Namekian Warrior. Having thought he was a alone, Piccolo turned in shock; surely, he would have heard the footsteps of an approaching entity, or at better yet, sensed their _ki_. Standing behind him were two men without presence; one short, and one tall. The shorter individual had the most intimidating demeanor, despite Piccolo's inability to feel a mite of _ki_  from either of them, and he had purple skin, pitch-black eyes, with frayed white-tresses cut into a mohawk. He also wore wore a unique uniform Piccolo had never seen before; consisting of eastern style of a trim blue vest with crimson etched into the outlines splayed out over his lithe chest to part in a inverted V fashion above his waist; the vest furthermore curtailed loosely down his hips past the top of his thighs to stop just a hair above his heels. A pair of turquoise sleeves that puffed up around his shoulders adorned underneath his jacket, with his slacks tied nicely by a small orange dyed obi which tucked neatly into crimson silk boots covered his feet.

The taller man, standing dutifully at the shorter man's side, was possessed of a reddish-complexion, with a thoroughly lined faced that showed great age, and long-white tresses that reached to his back. His uniform was a near match to the shorter man that stood abreast him; only meager differences were noted, such as the red vest instead of blue, yellow boots that adorned his feet as opposed to the shorter man's crimson. And both of them wore dangling yellow earrings.

"Y-Yes, I'm Piccolo," The Namekian replied, his onyx-orbs eyeing the duo warily. He wasn't sure precisely what it was, but he knew something was off about these two. And yet the Kami in him felt like he knew who they were. A simple appraisal of their ears alone told Piccolo they weren't from Earth, and yet at the same time, he felt as if he walked in the presence of two exceptional beings. It was a feeling that Kami had experienced once before, and to Piccolo, it felt like a distant memory. 

"I'm glad to see my assumption was correct." the man with the mohawk replied, smiling in a way that only served to unnerve Piccolo further; his eyes slanted, almost squinting, and the smile itself seemed to hide a wealth of secrecy.  "I wanted to speak with this world's Kami; specifically, the Kami with the power to take action. You were formerly that Kami, weren't you, Piccolo?"

"I was, yes," Piccolo replied with an air of seriousness, "Piccolo is the name I've continued to adopt long after fusing with the former Kami of Earth. Your assumptions are not baseless, I can assure you. But the two of you...who _are_  you? You don't feel like an Earthling...in fact, I can't feel a thing from either of you."

Persisting in his utterly unnerving smile, the mohawk-tressed man replied with his smooth voice, "You can call me 'Shin'. As you call yourself 'Majunior' for this tournament, I too bestowed myself with a sobriquet for the sake of competing. This man, the tall silent one, is my ever present partner, Kibito."

Kibito responded with a noncommittal grunt in recognition of his Master's words, but did not acknowledge Piccolo directly.

"And you are correct, Piccolo, we're not of this planet," Shin continued as if Kibito hadn't made a noise, "and we're here to speak with you, the former Kami, about the doom destined to befall this planet. I'm certain you can sense it, both you and the young Kami that watches us speak from the heavens; the shadows threatening to encroach your world. To sense such evil, it must be stifling for the mortal mind. And yet it's true. I'm merely here to confirm your suspicions for now, and to assess your own capability as a fighter."

This shocked Piccolo. Shin, or whatever his true name might be, appeared out of nowhere, spoke of the darkness that Piccolo had sensed for a long time, and yet seemed as if he wanted to keep the information to himself. Just how confident was this man? Or was it arrogance that led him to act this way? Piccolo knew he had to speak.

"If you know anything, anything at all, then shouldn't you speak!?" He insisted. "I've gone out of my way to inform my own comrades of this; the depth, the terror I feel from this oncoming threat is too great for anyone to feel like they can handle it al-"

"Hold your tongue in this man's presence!" Kibito finally spoke, cutting Piccolo's words as cleanly as if he'd cut with a blade, his stern glare piercing. "You stand in the exalted presence of a man well beyond your stature, and yet you make arrogant demands!?"

"Kibito, that's enough!" Shin insisted, placing a small, purple hand on the man's chest. "We're not here to terrify Piccolo, we merely came to inform him." Shifting his gaze to Piccolo, Shin gave the Namekian a nod. "We'll see you in the tournament, Piccolo. I assure you, all will be revealed in due time." With these cryptic words, the two men floated off, leaving behind a very confused and agitated Piccolo.

* * *

"Where is he?" Erasa murmured, flying only a few feet above the tile, searching the temple grounds for any sign of her father. The monks had mentioned late arrivals, and if she hadn't seen Marque _before_ the tournament, then he had to be one of those late arrivals, right? Deciding if she did find him, the sight of her flying might disturb him a little, the blonde landed and took to running, turning corners and heading towards the stadium stands.

Turning a corner without looking, the girl crashed into a figure that came from the other direction; both people were sent backwards onto the hard tile.

"Ow ow ow ow!" Erasa breathed, a grunt of pain mimicked by the man she had run into. Only after she'd gotten a second look, however, did she realize the man she'd run right into was the one she'd been looking for the entire time; Marque. Dressed in a fine brown suit, complete with a hat of matching colour, the man was rubbing his backside, entirely unaware he'd run directly into his own daughter.

"D-Daddy!" Erasa gasped, kicking up a gust of wind as she floated to her feet, landing neatly. Extending a hand, she helped a grumbling Marque to his feet. "I'm sorry! I was looking everywhere for you and I guess I didn't notice you right in front of me when the moment actually hit me."

"It's alright, sweetie," The man replied, his thick blonde mustache twitching with his fatherly smile, "and look at you! So, is this a uniform or something?" He gestured to Erasa's new outfit, moving his hands along the cape. "It's a bit flashy, isn't it?"

"Do you like it?" Erasa asked eagerly, spinning around on the spot, as if she was showing off a new dress to her father instead of martial arts _gi_. "Gohan's teacher made me this uniform, to show that I'm a member of their training camp. I personally asked for the new threads, since I wanted to compete in the tournament wearing Gohan's colours. Pretty spiffy, don'tcha think?"

"It looks fantastic on you, Erasa," Marque replied, smiling, "It may have just only been a week since I've last seen you...but you still feel so different. You've grown up so much, Erasa. Quile would be so proud to see you right now, doing this." He firmly gripped his daughter's shoulders — or rather, what he could grip, given the Namekian shoulder guards her cape possessed — and smiled, a twinkle behind the man's sapphire orbs. 

"Thanks, Dad," Erasa smiled, her matching eyes locking with her father's. Erasa hadn't forgotten the original reason why she'd started down this path of training; her mother, Quile. She'd hoped becoming more like Gohan would let her move on from her mother's death, and while move on she had, she'd never forgotten, not for a second. 

"And then there's me," Marque chuckled, releasing his hold on the teenage girl, "an old man watching his daughter grow up into quite a remarkable woman. I'm proud of you as well, Erasa. More than you can never know. Now, and I never thought I'd ever have to say this; go on out there and bust some heads! I'll be watching your fights from the sidelines, so show me what you can do!"

"Of course, Dad!" Erasa wrapped her arms around her father, easily lifting him off the ground — much to his shock — before setting him down. "I'm gonna go on and meet up with Gohan! I'll see you when I'm in the ring!" Without thinking, Erasa lifted off from the ground, flying in the opposite direction before she was clear out of sight.

Marque stood there, stunned. "She...she can fly now? What won't she do next?"

" _Are you watching up there, Mom?_ " Erasa thought, twisting around a pole that she narrowly avoided flying directly into. " _Goku said he didn't see you there, but I know you're in Heaven, and I bet you're thrilled to see me now, aren't you? Watch me for a little longer, please; I want you to see what I've become!_ "

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, so this chapter was quite a chapter to get done. Let's see...for starters, I put it off until I did my Naruto one-shot, Silhouette. To any Naruto fans in the audience, I'd appreciate it if you gave it a look; it's not much, just a short story. Since I put this story off to write that, I've included a small segment at the top, in homage to the pre-episode rundown the anime used to have back in the day. I'll include these only when I put a chapter off for a prolonged period of time. 
> 
> I really liked getting this chapter done. I was so looking forward to the Tournament and I think it's getting off to a good start. To anyone in the audience who knows math...pretty sure my math is off for the block to competitor to contestant ratio, but let's just say I'm really bad at math and leave it at that. The final match-ups are what's important, after all. And while we're talking about contestants, lemme say I'm not trying to make Videl seem like a bitch. I mean, that's definitely the vibe she's giving off, but she's got some issues and trust me when I say I'm going somewhere with this. You all will just have to trust me on where I take Videl because I hope I know what I'm doing.
> 
> I was GOING to show a few more matches but writing scattered and cluttered matches like that wasn't the best experience, and I had to resume this chapter in the middle, right after a week of being sick with whatever the Devil tried to throw at me, so it was a bit of a hectic writing process. I know, despite being the main character, Gohan had surprisingly little screentime this chapter; sadly, I can't even say that'll improve with the next one. I do not regret not showing his fight though; Goku, Piccolo, Krillen, 18, etc; I think it's obvious they'd have won anyway. I didn't think you guys would want to see me repeat the same "one-second victory" that Erasa and Vegeta had shown, so I tried to move it along as best I could.
> 
> Did anyone expect Tao? Anyone? I think I've mentioned I'm gonna try and have callbacks to the original series where I can make them, and bringing TAO back was too good to pass up. I've always liked Tao, and I think it'll be fun to have him here, even if only for the tournament.
> 
> And I think that's everything. I hope you guys like this chapter, and once again, let's thank my friend Mangetsu20, who makes sure these chapters are in tip-tip shape for when I bring them to you guys! He also helps with brainstorming. Another friend of mine helped me refine the math to a degree; we both kinda said 'screw it' near the end but it was the effort!! Anyway, everyone, I'll see you all in the next exciting chapter of the Erased Chronicles!


	16. Inherited Rivalry

**World Tournament Stage, Youth Division; During The Adult Division Preliminaries**  
  
"This sucks!" Trunks grumbled, shuffling off towards a wall near the locker room as he and Goten waited on the Youth Division to begin. "Who had the stupid idea of creating a division for the kids anyway!? I wanted to fight with the adults!" His face working in anger, the young Saiyan prince-ling slammed his fist into the stone wall, causing it to crumble where his fist had made contact.  
  
"I know, it's not fair!" Goten protested, equally as upset as his best friend. "By the way, Trunks, what's a division? It sounds like something yummy!"  
  
Trunks looked blankly at Goten before hanging his head. The two may have known each other for years, but they were different when it came to intelligence; being the son of a multidisciplinary scientist probably helped in that. "Goten, I'm not dignifying that."  
  
The poor Saiyan boy didn't quite understand that Trunks was insulting him, even if he did think something was off with Trunks' tone of voice, and simply let the comment slide off. "When do you think they're going to start?"  
  
"Does it really matter?" Trunks asked, groaning. "No one here is going to beat us. I can't even feel the _ki_  of half of the kids here, they're so weak! And even the ones that look like they could be fighters don't have any higher powers than the average household dog!" If anything was clear, Trunks certainly had the same bad attitude Vegeta did.   
  
However, as if the announcer had been listening in, a rotund monk entered the building to alert the gathered children that the matches were all about to begin, which garnered excitement from everyone except Trunks. Even Goten was excited, as he was hoping to find someone strong. He probably wasn't too good at sensing _ki_  if these were his expectations.  
  
"Since it's going to come down to the two of us regardless, what will you do with the prize money, Goten?" Trunks queried, crossing his arms.  
  
"I'm gonna buy lots of toys and snacks!" The younger Saiyan replied, grinning broadly. His wild imagination was already working against him, causing him to think of all the foods he could eat with the prize money. As much as he loved his mother's cooking, Goten just loved eating in general. And then there were the new toys he could get; some that just came out in the City. He'd seen a few of them when he went shopping with his mother before. "What about you, Trunks?"  
  
"Hmmm...I'm not sure." Trunks replied shiftily.   
  
"Your family is the richest in the world, so you already have everything!" Goten replied, and Trunks was inclined to agree. He didn't really need the prize money, when he had more than enough Zeni as it was.   
  
"Listen to you two dweebs!" A sneering voice came from the side of two children, and Trunks cast an indifferent eye in the direction of the sound. His sapphire-irises settled on a person whose appearance was as annoying as his voice; a muscled, teenage boy with a blonde mullet and a very sour expression. "You're way out of your leagues, punks. Why don't you just go home now?"  
  
Trunks, naturally, wasn't going to simply stand here and be badmouthed by this boy. "Are you simply too stupid to know when you're outclassed, or is that mullet digging into your skull?"  
  
"What was that!?" The blonde-mulleted teen snapped, jerking in a way that seemed as if he was going to punch Trunks, but thought better of it due to the adults present. Instead, he contended himself with glowering, shuffling off. "Just wait 'till I wipe the arena with your face, little brat!"  
  
"Keep talking!" Trunks' called back.  
  
On the outside, the Tenkaichi Budōkai Announcer, a blonde man wearing dark shades — that he never seemed to remove, even indoors — was crowing for all the crowd to hear. He'd been announcing the Tenkaichi Budōkai since Goku was a child, and his age was starting to show, if only a little. The poofy blonde hair-do he'd cultivated since he was young was now marred by a slightly receding hairline,  and his face, while not wrinkled entirely, was beginning to show creases. And yet, despite this, he had as much energy as he ever had, and put it on display for the audience who had turned up.  
  
"Welcome, everyone, to the Tenkaich Budōkai!" He crowed into the microphone, which magnified his voice for the entire stands to hear, despite being connected to no cord. In response to his words, the entire crowd cheered, the stadiums roaring with the sound of human and anthropomorphic voices alike. "But before we begin the main event, its time for the Youth Division! As you know, all children 15 and under are admitted without a preliminary session, and we have 22 spirited youngsters with us today!"  
  
The next cheers in the audience came from the parents; only Chi-Chi and Bulma weren't getting worked up, as both were confident their little boy could win the tournament and take home the prize. So it came as a great annoyance when a heavyset woman with a face like an overfed pug took a seat next to them in the stadium, wearing a sneer that could put even Vegeta to shame. "I don't even know why we're bothering with this little tournament," She wheezed; perhaps she was choking on one chin too many. "My boys are going to take the entire championship home!"  
  
"Puh-leez!" Bulma snapped, sounding briefly like her teenage self again. "Your kids won't stand a chance against ours!" She motioned to herself and Chi-Chi, who nodded fervently in agreement.   
  
" _Your_  kids?" The plump woman looked at them with a scornful kind of skepticism. "I suppose science is capable of anything these days. Though I suppose it's to be expected; neither of you look like you could land a man."  
  
"Are you implying what I think you're implying?" Chi-Chi growled, her onyx-eyes narrowing with the fire of anger.   
  
"Why don't you keep your mouth shu-!" Bulma hissed, and both she and Chi-Chi made violent moves to push the woman from the stadium before they were grabbed by Yamcha and the Ox-King.  
  
"C-Calm down, you two!" Yamcha cautioned. "We don't want to cause any trouble before the tournament even starts, right?"  
  
"Chi-Chi, don't you want to see Goten compete?" The Ox-King tried to hold his furious daughter back.  
  
Forcing themselves to calm down, the mothers breathed in before settling on the same idea simultaneously: seeing their children beat this woman's kids in the ring would be far more satisfying than beating her themselves.  
  
"The rules for the Youth Division is the same as the Adults!" The announcer called from the center of the arena. "They lose if they give up, fall out of bounds, stay down for a 10 count, or remain unconscious for the same amount of time! The Youth Division winner will take home ten million Zeni; the runner-up will take home five million! And we have a special reward for the lucky kid who takes home the championship! An exhibition match with a special celebrity! Specifically, with the World Champion Mr. Satan!"  
  
As if on the cue, the entire crowd, sans the friends and family of the Z-Fighters, began to roar and cheer. Responding to the crowd that cheered him on, Mr. Satan came running from his quarters out into the arena, throwing a double peace sign into the air, practically soaking in the cheers and screams of the crowd.  
  
"YEAH!" He roared in response, dashing across the stone path that led to the ring, leaping onto the tile. His landing, however, was botched; he slipped on his heels and fell hard onto the marble tile that created the arena they stood on, feeling a splitting pain in the back of his skull that caused him to shout. Sitting bolt upright, the man clutched the back of his head in pain.   
  
This however, shocked the crowd. Certainly, the great Mr. Satan couldn't be hurt from the stone tile, right?  
  
Mr. Satan, ever the one to notice a shift in an audience, immediately caught onto this. Standing up, he recovered remarkably quickly, before letting out a mighty laugh the echoed throughout the silent stands. "DON'T YOU ALL KNOW!? I WAS JOKING!! HA HA HA HA!!"  
  
The crowd, ever the gullible, swallowed what he said and recovered their usual fervor. "SATAN! SATAN! SATAN! SATAN!" They crowed, their cheers overtaking their hero's voice once again. Mr. Satan, meanwhile, breathed a sigh of relief, trying to ignore the throbbing pounding in the back of his head.   
  
"Mr. Satan, how are you feeling today?" The announcer asked enthusiastically, pointing the microphone to Mr. Satan  
  
"Unfortunately for any competitors who want to fight me, I'm in the best shape of my life!" The World Champion crowed for the entire stadium to hear with his magnified voice. This earned a derisive chuckle from Chi-Chi and Bulma, who knew their husbands would be taking home the championship.   
  
"And you know, you'll be fighting the kiddo who wins the Youth Division, right?" The announcer queried, to which Mr. Satan gave a huge, false laugh, and replied with mock fear.  
  
"Oh no! I hope he goes easy on me!"  
  
"Thank you, Mr. Satan!" The announcer crowed, as Mr. Satan took his leave. "Mr. Satan will be waiting in the wings, while we get the Youth Division underway!" Reaching for a sheet of names, the man looked at the list of match-ups. "Match 1, Bart: Age 12, vs Pepperone: Age 14!"   
  
The matches proceeded from that point rather uneventfully; the children in the competition lacked any spirit of enthusiasm for martial arts, and a good half were in the competition simply because their parents wanted to make a quick buck with the cash money. Unlike the adults, which had some competitors that showed promise beyond the basics, these children put on a pitiful showing. Goten and Trunks, watching from the sidelines, had devolved into idle chatter as some truly embarrassing matches had taken place. The most recent, match 8, ended with one of the competitors bursting into tears.  
  
"Match 9!" The announcer called out. "Trunks, Age 8, vs Laem, Age 15!"  
  
"It's about time," The lilac-tressed boy sighed, pushing himself off the wall and walking out into the arena, followed by a familiar face he was far too annoyed to deal with now; the blonde-mulleted boy, 'Laem'.  
  
"LAEM, MOMMY'S HERE!" The pug-faced woman shouted at the top of her overly large lungs, and this in itself earned Bulma's ire.  
  
" _So that's her kid, eh_? _"_ The woman's cerulean eyes narrowed, and she called out towards the ring: "TRUNKS! WIPE THE FLOOR WITH THAT BOY!"  
  
"You ready for this, you little brat?" Laem sneered, grinning toothily. "I'm gonna kick your ass and drag you across the tile!"  
  
"Probably best to ignore him..." Trunks muttered to himself, placing his hands on his hips as he walked up the steps to the arena. In all honesty, Laem was trying the very limits of the young half-Saiyan's patience, but Trunks was trying his best to have a bit more control.   
  
In the audience, one of the members was laughing as he took a swig from a beer can, "An eight year old kid going up against a 15 year old? That ain't fair for the poor boy!" Several people around him murmured their agreement.   
  
"Now BEGIN!" The announcer gave the 'okay' for the match to begin and proceeded to move towards the sidelines.  
  
Taking a stance, Laem smirked. "Alright, kid! Try and hit me if you can! C'mon, you get a freebie before I destroy you!"  
  
"You really do like to talk a lot," Trunks groaned, not bothering to take a stance, as he knew something like that would be wasted, "but unlike you, I don't need the encouragement. I'm going to kick your butt." Before Laem could even process how Trunks had moved, the boy crouched, sliding his heel along the tile, sweeping Laem off his feet and tumbling back onto the arena. "Hup!" Trunks thrust his foot upward, kicking the teenager into the air, and simply let him fall to the ground, straightening his obi as he walked off.  
"I wonder if I shattered any ribs," Trunks muttered, as Laem's mother crowed with shock at her son's defeat, "I should really learn a bit of control."  
  
"Laem! My baby!" His mother shrieked at the top of her lungs, earning a very smug smile from Bulma.  
  
"The winner is Trunks!" The announcer called out as Trunks walked off into the wings.   
  
"This is why we should have been placed with the adults," Trunks muttered to Goten, who nodded eagerly.  
  
The matches continued without anything truly exciting happened until the end of the 15th match (Webli vs Pyonatt, another match that ended with the former breaking down crying, shocking Pyonatt). With a flourish, the announcer read the names of the contestants off of the list he held in his hands.  
  
"Match 16! Goten, Age 7, vs Ikose, age 14!"  
  
The two contestants made their way towards the ring, Goten's face plastered with innocent naïveté. He was followed by a boy who looked remarkably like Laem; a boy with a brown-tresses worn as a mullet, and the same sneering face.  
  
"Ikose!" The pug-faced woman barked down towards the brown-haired boy. "Don't get careless like Laem! Keep your guard up and destroy that runt!"  
  
"Goten! Make sure you show some restraint, sweetie!" Chi-Chi called down into the stands for her boy to hear.   
  
"It's almost unfair my boy has to fight that low-class brat," The larger woman replied with an air of a long-suffering individual; she nearly began biting a handkerchief in frustration. "I'm going to complain to the monks when this tournament is over!"  
  
Goten, ever the polite child, took a bow before Ikose, while the older boy looked down at Goten with some semblance of relief. Perhaps he hadn't learned from his older brother's mistake, but he was judging Goten by his size and innocent countenance, and he thought he was in for an easy match.  
  
" _Haven't I seen that face somewhere before?_ " The announcer thought to himself, looking at Goten and realizing the blank expression and distinctive spiky-black tresses were very familiar. " _'Goten'...Oh! He has to be Goku's son, that's it! He looks just like Goku did when he was young...minus the tail of course. But if Goten's competing..._ " A spark of excitement ignited within the announcer that he hadn't felt in nearly two decades. If Goten was competing, and he was Goku's son...could Goku be competing in the Adult Division of the tournament? But he didn't have time to dwell on better times in the past.  
  
"Now begin!"  
  
"You know, trash like you shouldn't even bother coming here," Ikose drawled, taking a stance like his brother had before him, "but don't worry, I won't hurt you too bad, kid! Now, take this! The Ikose-patented Murder Punch!" After performing some much unneeded hopping in place, the teenager cocked his fist back, thrusting it with as much force as he could muster towards the much younger Saiyan.  
  
With ease, Goten extended a single finger, blocking the punch without giving an inch. His blank expression didn't change; in fact, he looked bored. This registered quickly with Ikose, who was becoming unnerved. For his attack to be stopped by a single punch, and for the opponent to look so calm while doing it; he'd never seen that before. In response, he spun his left leg towards Goten's skull. The boy reacted in kind by blocking it with his wrist.  
  
"C'mon, can't we fight for real?" He asked placidly.  
  
Ikose couldn't keep his surprise forced down here, and it took all of his composure not to leap back and gain some distance from Goten. He had a feeling he could circle this entire arena and it wouldn't get him far enough away from this little monster. "Hmph!" He scoffed, trying to maintain his arrogant personality, though his composure was quickly collapsing. "So you've been trained in martial arts too, haven't you? Then let's see how you deal with this!"  
  
'This' was Ikose's saddest performance; with a yell, the boy let out a flurry of punches and kicks that were easily parried by Goten, through the use of only his palms. Without missing a beat, Goten thrust his fist at Ikose, determined to stop the annoying boy in front of him.  
  
"I wonder where all the real fighters are," Goten remarked, bowing slightly at Ikose fell to the ground, stunned from the force of the blow.  
  


* * *

  
  
By the time the Youth Division was reaching its end, the preliminaries for the Adult Division had already concluded. Goku, Gohan, Erasa, and the others had long since gone to eat, having decided that, until they could feel the spark of _ki_  that would indicate Goten and Trunks were in the ring, nothing in the Youth Division would be worth watching.  
  
This was the right approach; for the duration of the Youth Division, Goten and Trunks steamrolled through the competition with the ease of an ape walking over molehills. Just as everyone had expected, it was to be a fight between the son of Goku and the son of Vegeta in the finals of the Youth Division. It was here that the adults from the preliminaries made their way into the stands, watching from a balcony.  
  
"Look at this!" Goku gawped as he took in the immense size of the arena and the stands that surrounded it, "the Budōkai is like a party now! The stadium is huge, compared to when I was younger!"  
  
"And yet the soul has shrunk," Piccolo replied bitterly. Like Rōshi, Piccolo seemed to be perturbed by the commercialization of the Budōkai. Nearly two decades ago, the ring had been much smaller, and the audience was content with standing in what amount to a mosh pit as they watched martial artists compete for the title of the Strongest Under The Heavens. But now...it may as well be a circus.  
  
"I agree, it's a bit too fancy now," Krillin nodded, "but you could lighten up a little, Piccolo. Goku's back, so let's enjoy ourselves!"  
  
Piccolo looked like he had half a mind to tell Krillin what he thought about being told to 'learn to relax', but thought the better of it, and occupied himself with the tournament ring.  
  
"It's time for the final match of the Youth Division!" The announcer called out to the stands, and was met with a roar of approval from the crowd. "You know them, you love them, they're the stars of the show! Son Goten and Trunks Brief! The two youngest competitors in the Youth Division are the opponents in the semi-finals! Showing remarkable strength, they've made it this far with their overwhelming skill and determination! What's more, I hear they're best friends!"  
  


* * *

  
In the wings, Mr. Satan was sitting in a recliner, drinking an alcoholic beverage and smoking a cigar. Perhaps not the best way for a martial artist to spend down time, but Mr. Satan had not done true training in several years, and he wouldn't start now.   
  
"Mr. Satan, perhaps you ought to come watch the finals of the Youth Division?" A monk suggested, his glasses flashing. "The two finalists are very powerful young boys."  
  
"So two strong kids?" Mr. Satan repeated, exhaling a plume of smoke from his mouth. With a sigh, he shrugged and stood up. "I suppose you do have a point; I have to spar with whichever little kid wins, so why not go watch the final match?" If only he knew just how outmatched he was.

* * *

  
  
"Are you excited, Gohan?" Erasa asked, leaning on the railing as the announcer was beginning to declare the start of Goten and Trunks' match. "Your little brother made it all the way to the finals, and now he's about to fight his friend. You think you'd look a little more geared for the match than that!"  
  
Gohan let out a chuckle, casting a wary eye at Goten and Trunks. "I suppose there's always something in me that's excited to see a good fight. But Goten and Trunks are still young; I'm hoping they know the meaning of the word 'restraint', fighting in such a cluttered and cramped arena."  
  
"Without any further ado..." The announcer immediately proceeded to vacate the arena, "please start the finals of the Youth Division!"  
  
"I'm not going to hold back, Goten," Trunks spread his legs into a squat, with his right arm held out into a tight fist while the left formed a clawing motion perpendicularly in front of his forehead. "If you don't go all out against me, you're going to lose."  
  
"Hmph! I'm not holding back either!" Goten replied, leaning forward towards his right leg, with a clenched fist bowed parallel to his leg. He lifted his other arm up in the opposite direction, balling his fist up, forming a straight line from one set of knuckles to the other. The ring was silent; neither of them moved. Perhaps they were sizing each other up, and gauging the strength of their competition. The two Saiyan boys were very close to each other in strength; Trunks had a slight edge, due to being a year older, but even he admitted this was a very small gap in strength. If Goten was crafty enough, he could surpass Trunks in this battle the moment the prince-ling let his guard down.  
  
"Haven't I seen those kids before?" Mr. Satan muttered, as he arrived down in the wings, looking out at the arena. Both Goten and Trunks looked very familiar to him. Particularly Goten. But where had he seen them before?  
  
Without warning, Goten and Trunks exploded from the tile, causing it to crack under the force of their movements as they clashed. The two rammed their arms into each other, creating a sickening crunch that had nothing to do with the shattering of bone. Before they broke apart, they slipped past each other and landed on opposing sides of the ring.  
  
"Look at them go!" Goku crowed, amazed at the prowess his youngest child was showing in the ring. "They've got talent, that's for sure!"  
  
"Takes you back, doesn't it Goku?" Krillin grinned; seeing the miniature Goku that Goten was duke it out in the middle of the ring brought back quite a few fond memories of his childhood, back when he fought Goku in the Tenkaichi Budōkai so many years ago. Why is it the kids always showed the most promise?  
  
" _I-It's them!_ " Mr. Satan, unlike Goku and Krillin, was far from amused. He could barely keep up with the action the two children were performing in the ring, and this brought back negative memories of those strange 'Gold Fighters' from the Cell Games. But these kids couldn't be related to any of those fighters, could they? Why would his past come to haunt him?  
  
"Heh!" Goten grinned, flexing his fingers. "You really are good, Trunks! Now let me show you something my Grandpa Ox-King showed me in training!"   
  
"Bring it!" Trunks beckoned Goten forward, and the boy didn't need the coaxing. Vanishing within a split second — he hadn't truly disappeared, but no one aside from trained fighters were going to perceive just how quickly he'd crossed the field — he thrust his fist forward at Trunks, crying out "Rock!" This was, however, nothing but a simple punch that Trunks easily caught with his bare hand. Grinning, Goten extended his forefinger and middle finger, jamming them lightly into Trunks' eyes, causing the boy to roar with pain.   
  
"Scissors!" Goten shouted, as the pain of having two fingers thrust at his eyes caused Trunks to lose his grip on Goten's fist entirely and clutch at his eyes. "PAPER!" With the final blow of his combo, Goten unleashed an open palm strike, pushing Trunks backwards, the half-Saiyan tumbling across the tile.  
  
"Now that's one I haven't seen in awhile!" Goku himself used to use the Fist of Rock, Scissors 'N' Paper. Ox-King had to have taught it to Goten, he'd seen Grandpa Gohan used it several times before. "It's like watching a little me on the battlefield!"  
  
"Goten...!" Trunks growled, struggling to his feet. His eyes weren't terribly damaged — a perk of being partially Saiyan — but this didn't mask the pain. His vision was swimming and he could barely make out the blurred form of Goten rushing at him, and there was certainly not enough time to react. Orange,  blue, and black filled his vision as he felt a sharp blow meet his chin, sending him flying upwards. Goten was overpowering him!?  
  
"Don't get ahead of yourself, Goten!" Trunks shouted, forcing his vision back into focus through sheer willpower. Able to see properly once more, Trunks countered the oncoming Saiyan child, slamming both of his hands down onto Goten's skull with a double axe-handle, forcing him downward towards the ring.  
  
"Now that's the way, Trunks!" Vegeta's praise was light, and far from loud, but it was obvious he was proud of his son for regaining his composure so quickly in the middle of battle. His training was bearing fruit after all.  
  
Goten recovered quickly, flipping and pushing off in mid-air, narrowly avoiding becoming a crimson stain on polished marble tiles. Trunks followed him to the ground, descending lightly. Regardless of how skilled they were in flying, the two were more comfortable fighting on the ground than in the air. The tension between them was palpable; no one in the crowd breathed, and yet the announcer was still speaking to anyone who would listen.  
  
"Did you see that, folks!? Such a well executed Sledgehammer from Trunks!" He crowed, positively thrilled. Yes, _this_  was how the Tenkaichi Budōkai should be! "For two pre-teen boys, these two sure pack a punch! I can feel the thundering blows even from where I stand!"  
  
In an explosion that rocked the arena, causing it to rumble and shake against the grass, the two children were off again. Meeting in the middle of the stage, two punches from furious tiny fists connected at the same time, followed by a strike to the jaw from each combatant. The blows became fiercer still as Goten and Trunks rose into the air, blocking and parrying each other's blows. After a brutal exchange, Trunks managed to gain the upper hand, grabbing Goten by his undershirt and throwing him directly towards the stadium.   
  
All he had to do was touch it, for even a split second, and Trunks would win by an out-of-bounds. Perhaps not the most satisfying victory but a victory nonetheless.   
  
"No no no no no no no!" Goten cried as he was flung towards the stadium stands. Determined to take control of the situation, Goten released his _ki_  like he'd learned during training with Gohan, enabling flight, and flipped himself over in mid-air, barely an inch away from a crowd who had been scurrying out of Goten's way. Smirking, the boy floated back towards the ring, and Trunks began to rise as well. And as if they were cannon balls, they shot towards each other again, pummeling each other viciously.   
  
"You almost can't tell they're friends!" Erasa cried; a mark of her training was that she was able to follow the action, even if she lost track occasionally. Their movements were savage; Goten would slam his fist into Trunks' face, only to be met with a blow of similar ferocity merely a second later. When Trunks would kick, Goten would dodge, vanishing and reappearing behind Trunks in a surprise attack that was parried and countered with an elbow strike to the chest. " _Though now I wonder...would Videl and I ever hold back if we had to fight each other in the ring? Or would we go at it with everything, like these two boys?_ "  
  
"It reminds me of when Krillin and I fought as kids," Goku grinned; he was pleased to see Goten was taking such an active role as a fighter. As a both a Saiyan, and a father, it made him proud.   
  
"Those were the days." Krillin nodded, reminiscing of his childhood battles with Goku.   
  
"Up in the air! A white hot battle up in the air!" The announcer cried into the microphone as Goten and Trunks clashed without pause, never touching the ground, remaining afloat no matter how hard they were struck. Even the crowd was amazed at that they were seeing.  
  
"Are they...flying!?"   
  
"No, it has to be a trick! Remember what Mr. Satan said!"  
  
"Yeah!"  
  
Breaking apart, the two flipped backwards to gain some distance, landing apart from each other in the middle of the arena. Despite their fierce exchange of blows, neither truly seemed to be showing any wear apart from a few bruises and minor tears in their clothing. In fact, both of them were smiling, as if they were having the time of their lives.  
  
"Not bad, Goten," Trunks commended his friend, "you've improved a lot in just a few months."  
  
"Mhm!" The younger Saiyan nodded in agreement, but didn't offer thanks. "I trained with Gohan and Erasa and I learned a lot!"  
  
"That's true..." The lavender-tressed boy nodded, before taking a stance. He crouched slightly, and raised both of his arms on either side of his body a little above his head. "But can you do this?" Yellow light began to flicker and crackle around his hand in small bursts, before they formed two full energy spheres, white-hot orbs of plasma outlined with a yellow glow enveloping both palms.  
  
"Wait, what is he thinking!?" Gohan shouted in a panic, gripping the railing. "Is he going to unleash an energy attack from right there!? He's going to hit the stadium!"  
  
Krillin, as if it could make matters worse, recognized Trunks' stance as being similar to Vegeta's Final Flash. "This isn't good...what's going on in that kid's head, letting loose that kind of power!?"  
  
"Now now, give them a chance," Goku said warningly to both Gohan and Krillin. "You're underestimating them both. Watch the flow of Trunks' energy when he releases that blast."  
  
Thrusting his palms forward, the two energy spheres merged into a single orb before exploding into a gargantuan blast of concentrated energy. It focused itself into a swiftly travelling beam that crossed the arena towards Goten. Naturally, this threw the entire crowd into a panic; even the announcer, quick witted as he was, recognized this kind of technique from seeing Goku and his friends perform them several times before. And Majunior, when he competed, used them to deadly effect!  
  
"Hup!" Goten, with no regard for the safety of the crowd behind him, jumped into the air and the energy wave flashed beneath him, barreling right towards the crowd, all of whom began to panic once more. Before Krillin or Gohan could even tell Goku "I told you so", Trunks thrust his hands upward, and the energy wave bent as he willed it, shooting towards the sky before it lost power and dissipated. The announcer wiped his brow in relief.  
  
"Didn't I tell you?" Goku smiled, happy his intuition was correct.   
  
The crowd below began to murmur and mutter amongst themselves. "What was that? A rocket?"  
  
After such a display, Mr. Satan was trembling behind a large billboard, looking on in pure terror. " _I...I've seen something like that before!! Those freaks at the Cell Games set off explosions just like it! But it can't be! Why would my nightmares come all the way out here just to haunt me!?_ "  
  
"Whaddya think!?" Trunks bragged, hands on his hips as he stood to his full height — a feat that made no real change due to his age and short height. "Wasn't that pretty cool?"  
  
"Oooooh, I can do that too!" Goten said eagerly. "Gohan showed me how to do it!" Crouching down, he cupped his hands to his sides in a pose that was all too familiar.  
  
"C-Could it be!?" The announcer cried into the megaphone. "Unless my eyes deceive me — and they could be, I never take these shades off — we're about to bear witness to a legendary move! The Kamehameha!" The announcer knew the move well; he'd seen it performed by Goku and Jackie Chun several times before, and it was a sight he'd never forget. "It's a move that was devised by the great Master Rōshi years ago! I didn't think I'd ever live to see it used in the Budōkai again!"  
  
"Ka...me..." Light began to spiral in between Goten's cupped hands, before he moulded it, rotating it violently into a sphere of superheated energy. "...Ka...me..."  
  
Trunks couldn't help but snicker. "Even I know it's Kame **ha** me, idiot."  
  
".....HA!" Regardless of his mispronunciation, the son of Goku let loose a bonafide Kamehameha, the signature technique of the Turtle School, whose colours Goten proudly wore. Enveloped in a bright blue burst of energy, the sphere stretched into a beam that shot towards Trunks with blinding speed.  
  
"AND THERE IT IS!" The announcer screamed at the top of his lungs. "THE KAMEHAMEHA IN ALL OF ITS MAGNIFICENCE! EVEN THOUGH OUR YOUNG COMPETITOR GOTEN COULDN'T GET THE NAME QUITE RIGHT, THAT IS DEFINITELY A KAMEHAMEHA!"  
  
Trunks reacted with perfect calm; he could see that Goten's energy blast wasn't controlled well. It wouldn't take much effort to dodge an attack of that level. Inclining his head to the right, he remained stoic as he felt the heat of the energy and the rush of wind when it shot over his shoulder, colliding with the tournament building directly behind them, destroying part of the ornament.  
  
"Well, he can do it, but he can't really control it," Goku observed, glad Goten had been aiming away from the ground at the very least. "He'll get there."  
  
Grinning, Trunks adopted the Kamehameha stance as well, his blue-eyes glinting maliciously. "Now, why don't I show you how you really do it? Ka...me...." His hands began to glow with a bright blue energy, deep and vibrant. "...Ha...me...."   
  
"T-Trunks can do it too!?" Gohan gasped as Goten became more alert.  
  
"HA!" Once again showing no regard for the competitors behind Goten, Trunks released a vivid, cerulean-hued energy blast from both of his palms. To Trunks' satisfaction, the technique seemed to make contact...only to pass directly through Goten, who flickered and faded away like an illusion.  
  
" _An afterimage!?"_  Trunks reacted furiously, looking around frantically to see Goten charging downward at him from the air. "Oh no you don't!" Trunks bent the Kamehameha once more, pulling it away from the crowd once more, redirecting it at Goten. It collided head-on with the boy, who had been so single-minded in his pursuit of Trunks that he hadn't paid attention to the Kamehameha after he put it out of his mind.  
  
And now, tumbling through the air, it was costing him dearly.  
  
"I'm not through with you yet!" Trunks called, flying after Goten and grabbing him by the ankle. Pulling Goten downward, Trunks released his ankle and punched Goten mercilessly. "Give it up Goten! Just say you give up, and we can call the fight off!"    
  
Goten, while not a lover of pain, was also not a quitter. Glaring at Trunks, Goten's immediate response was to duck the next oncoming punch, before slamming his head into Trunks' stomach. A crude, yet effective way, of stunning the boy. Without giving Trunks a second's breath, Goten thrust his fist into Trunks' gut, winding him further, following with a sharp elbow jab to the jaw, sending Trunks reeling.   
  
"Wily little...!" Trunks growled, staggering back as he glared at Goten. "If you want to play dirty, I'll show you!" The boy made several quick hand seals, before placing his palms forward, with the thumbs and index fingers touching each other to form a diamond shape. "I'll knock you right out of the ring with this one, Goten!"  
  
"I dare you to try it!" Goten called out, placing his palms in front of him. Whatever Trunks was planning, Goten would block it. He had to block it now, if Trunks was going so far to declare a decided victory.  
  
Trunks' palms flickered and shone with yellow light, the light then coalescing into luminescent white sphere with a yellow outline. Rays of light extended from the sphere in all directions, to the point where it would resemble a children's depiction of the Sun in a book. "HA!" With a battle cry, Trunks shot the sphere forward like a cannon. It collided with Goten, whose palms pressed against it in an effort to keep the sphere back.   
  
For Goten, however, this seemed to be an impossible feat. Trunks' energy sphere was stronger than Goten was, and he was beginning to give ground — so to speak, as he was floating in the air — and he couldn't hold off the force of the attack much longer. If this kept up, he'd be pushed out of bounds. " _I know Gohan said not too....but...!_ " Goten's hair began to rise, standing on end as his onyx irises snapped to a vibrant forest green. A golden aura enveloped him, and his ebony-tresses were dyed a vivid gold.   
  
"YARGH!" Expelling a large blast of _ki,_ he pushed the burning sphere of energy back towards Trunks, who was utterly stunned, both the fact that Goten would resort to Super Saiyan when they all agreed to refrain from the transformation, and that Goten had even reflected his Burning Attack. The heir to Capsule Corporation was overwhelmed by the impact of his own energy sphere; it collided and exploded on impact. Trunks dropped out of the smokescreen, bruised and singed.  
  
"G-Goten can become a Super Saiyan!?" Goku leaned over the railing, eyes wide. "Wow, they really grow up fast these days!"  
  
"Kakarot!" Vegeta snarled from behind the younger Saiyan, slamming his foot onto the ground, causing it to crack. "Your brat son is a cheater and you know it!"  
  
"I didn't know anything about this!" Goku raised his hands up defensively.  
  
" _I-It is them!_ " Mr. Satan though as a fresh wave of panic washed over him like the most chilling spray of water. " _The Golden Fighters from the Cell Games! But why are they here!?_ "  
  
"Goten!" Trunks whined, placing his hands on his hips as he shouted at best friend. "We agreed not to turn into Super Saiyans!!"  
  
"I-I'm sorry, Trunks! It just happened!" Goten apologized as his hair and eyes returned to their normal onyx shade and his power level dropped accordingly. In truth, this was a bald-faced lie. Goten had known exactly what he was doing, and Trunks was no fool. He knew when Goten was lying, and this was the farthest statement from the truth.  
  
" _He may be a bit dense...but he's also reckless_." Trunks thought to himself, grinning deviously. " _I think I'll be able to take advantage of his thickheadness if I try_." Trunks stood up fully, his devious smile only widening. Goten did not catch on to the change. "Hey Goten, why don't we lay off the blasts for the remainder of the match? We're probably gonna lose control at some point anyway and hit the crowd. Let's keep to traditional fighting, how about that?"  
  
"Okay!" Goten agreed eagerly, clenching his fists at his sides.  
  
" _That's it..._ " Trunks knew Goten wouldn't be able to resist a dare. Fighting a distance with blasts might be giving Goten a bit of an advantage. Trunks hated to admit it, but Goten had a knack for creativity in the thick of battle; resorting to blasts could give Goten the edge he needed. But Trunks was physically stronger than Goten. In a hand to hand battle, the advantage could sway in his direction.  
  
"It seems our combatants are discussing the terms of their battle!" The announcer spelled it out for everyone in the stadium stands. "Never before have I seen such a display of camaraderie in the ring!"  
  
The battle resumed fiercely and without warning. Goten and Trunks leapt across the ring, and Goten pushed himself off from the ground with his hands, extending a leg forward, kicking Trunks squarely in the chest. Or so he thought. Goten felt 'Trunks' give way as he slipped right through him; it was an afterimage! Turning around, Goten saw Trunks standing behind him and attacked, only for the image to flicker and fade once more.  
  
" _Two afterimages!?_ " Goten looked around frantically, and was met with a sharp blow to the face by Trunks' surprise attack, catching Goten off-guard. Staggering back, Goten was feeling Trunks' actions more than seeing; the heir to the Capsule Corporation seems very determined to win the competition was quickly as he could, his father's systematic method of training showing through in Trunks' own style. Sliding along the tile, Trunks pushed himself upward with one hand, his heel connecting with Goten's chin and sending him hurtling into the air.  
  
" _H-He's too fast!_ " The youngest Saiyan grimaced in pain; the force of Trunks' blow made him feel as if he was floating, and in a very bad way. Stunned by the blow to his chin, his body felt numb.   
  
"Bet you've never flown this way," Trunks grinned, appearing above Goten, grabbing him by his _gi_ , and pulling him over his head to throw him down onto the tile.   
  
"No!" Goten cried, his small hands reaching for the back of Trunks' own _gi,_ rolling beneath Trunks and slamming both of his legs into the older boy's stomach, sending him ever higher into the sky.  
  
"LOOK AT THEM GO!" The announcer shouted. "I CAN BARELY EVEN SEE THEM ANYMORE!"  
  
"Why? Why does he keep hitting me in the stomach!?" Trunks groaned as he straightened out in mid-air. A touch of his father's old impatience was clearly bleeding through Trunks' formerly composed attitude. Immersing himself in flashing white energy, Trunks pulled off a spectacularly downward dive, shooting past Goten like a rocket. Goten, unwilling to let his friend get away, followed him down just as quickly.   
  
" _That's right, follow me now!"_ Trunks egged Goten on mentally. His sapphire irises were locked on the grassy lawn outside of the arena. Both of the boys were descending at a spectacular rate, gravity increasing both the speed and the strength of their fall, but Trunks, with his higher power level, had a slight lead. To Trunks, this descent was the key to victory. To Goten, it was a chance to show Trunks up.  
  
To the spectators, it looked like madness.  
  
"What are those two doing!?" Krillin couldn't make sense of any of it.  
  
"They're going to crash!" Erasa shrieked out as the two boys neared the ground.  
  
"Trunks won't!" roared Krillin.  
  
"Goten is!" yelled Gohan.  
  
Krillin was right. Moments before hitting the ground, fighting off the speed of his own fall, Trunks shone with a brilliant golden light. To quickly and efficiently stop his descent, he transformed into a Super Saiyan. He floated in the air as Goten whizzed by him like a bullet, unable to stop in time and embedding himself in the ground like a spear.   
  
"Trunks can become a Super Saiyan too!?" Goku gasped. "What is with this new generation?"  
  
"I-I can't believe what I'm seeing...!" The announcer ran over to Goten's fallen form, looking thoroughly shocked. "The most intense battle in the Youth Division has ended in a _stunning_  ring out! Trunks is the winner of the Youth Division!"  
  
The entire crowd erupted in cheers and applause; the entire stadium stood up, clapping their hands uproariously. Even if they doubted what they saw, there was no doubt that the audience was entirely enthralled by the fight they had just witnessed. Trunks, standing the center of the all the praise, rather enjoying the moment.  
  
With the most arrogant grin he could muster, Vegeta walked over to Goku, slapping his hand on the taller Saiyan's shoulder, chuckling darkly. "Cheer up, Kakarot! Your boy fought well, but it seems like my son has the better blood." While Vegeta would not admit it out loud, the display his son had shown in the ring had made him very proud indeed. But there was part of him that was living vicariously through Trunks' victory. To him, Trunks' victory over Goten was a victory over Kakarot.  
  
"Poor Goten..." Chi-Chi cast a pitying gaze over her son. She knew he'd tried his best, but he was going to feel very put out about losing.   
  
"Good job, Trunks!" Bulma called down towards her son. She was swelling with pride and trying — with difficulty — to avoid gloating over her son's victory to Chi-Chi. Both women were avoiding looking each other in the eye, but Bulma couldn't stop smiling a smile that strangely resembled her husband's.  
  
"Trunks, you cheated!" Goten accused, pulling himself out of the ground and wiping both dirt and angry tears from his face. "I thought we weren't supposed to turn Super Saiyan! Cheater! Meanie!" For emphasis, the boy puffed his cheeks out, pouting.  
  
"You transformed first, so we're even." Trunks replied, but this wasn't enough to stop Goten's angry stare. Letting out a resigned sigh, Trunks decided to strike up a deal with his innocent friend, if only to wipe the hurt expression off his face. "When we go home, I'll give you three of my toys, any three you want. So cheer up, okay?"  
  
"Really!? Any three I want!?" This was enough to wipe Goten's pouting expression off his face within seconds. "Okay, but make sure you keep your promise!"  
  
"After such a tense battle between two fine young warriors, let's move onto the next attraction! Trunks, the winner of the Youth Division, against the World Champion Mr. Satan!"  
  
"Should we stick around for this one?" Goku queried, chuckling with mirth. "Trunks fighting Mr. Satan? This isn't going to be much of a fight, you know."  
  
Krillin was also starting to shake with laughter. "Right. You better not blink, or you'll miss it."  
  
Even Vegeta, normally so calm, couldn't resist darkly snickering. The idea of his son fighting Mr. Satan was too rich to miss. "Trunks is going to pulverize this noisy fool! World Champion? I've known stronger house plants."  
  
Erasa had to admit, as cold as these remarks seemed, if there was any chance she could see Mr. Satan knocked off his high horse, she'd love to be around to witness it. But then her mind filled with Videl's hateful stare and new-found violent attitude, and she wondered how exactly Mr. Satan losing to a child less than half his size would have on her pride right now. Biting her lip, she was torn between amusement and concern.  
  
The announcer's words struck a chord of panic in Mr. Satan's heart; a shiver ran down his spine that had nothing to do with the temperature. " _W-What am I gonna do?!_ " He thought in a flurry of panic. " _That kid ain't human! If I go out there and fight him, he's gonna destroy me. My reputation will crumble!_ " He could hear it, clear as crystal; the sound of laughing children, fans turned against him, his entire social standing utterly destroyed because of one fight with an eight year old boy.  
  
"SATAN! SATAN! SATAN! SATAN!"  
  
And yet the crowd was still cheering for him. If he chose to stay here and hide, he'd look like even more of a coward. Steeling himself, Mr. Satan ran out of the wings and up the steps that lead up into the arena, and threw up his trademark double peace sign. Letting out his great booming laugh, he called out towards the crowd in equally great volume (magnified by the microphone the announcer placed to him), "SO, WHO'S THE LITTLE TYKE THAT WANTS TO MAKE A SHOW OF CHALLENGING THE WORLD CHAMPION, MR. SATAN!?" Without warning, he jabbed his finger in the direction of Trunks. "IS IT YOU!? DO YOU THINK YOU'RE READY TO FACE ME!?"  
  
The entire stadium shook with the approval of Mr. Satan. While Trunks found it irksome, it seemed to fill Mr. Satan with something resembling confidence.  
  
" _So he's the World Champion? These people must be delusion, I can't sense that much energy from him at all._ " Trunks thought, surveying Mr. Satan with mild annoyance. " _Maybe about as much as that old hermit with the shades...no, the hermit has more._ " Assuming he must be masking it, Trunks kept analyzing the man.  
  
With a flourish, Mr. Satan removed the cape that he kept tied around his neck, throwing it to the arena floor. Breathing in and then out rapidly, Mr. Satan pumped himself up with a mighty battle cry. His mental preparation out of the way, he quickly performed a flurry of punches, kicks, jump kicks, and a variety of unnecessary physical blows to appease the audience, before panting in apparent exhaustion.   
  
" _Was that supposed to be...good?_ " Trunks stared at Mr. Satan, eyes wide and mouth agape. To anyone with the slightest bit of skill, they could see that Mr. Satan's attacks were heavily flawed; they were clumsy and consisted of far too much wasted movement. " _He's going out of his way to look like a fool, right? He has to be! He's the World Champion, after all!_ " Firmly deciding on that, Trunks began to perform a few quick stretches to get the blood flowing.  
  
"H-Hey!" Mr. Satan immediately ran forward to Trunks, panicking. "D-Don't take it so seriously, kiddo. This is just an...an...an exhibition game! That's all!"  
 _  
"_ A what?" Trunks flashed Mr. Satan a dry look.   
  
"It's a game! Pretend!" Mr. Satan frantically tried to stress the point. "We don't need to fight seriously, so take it easy, alright?"  
  
"No way!" Trunks insisted, glaring coldly at Mr. Satan. "I was taught to never hold back against anyone. If they aren't worth my time, I'll just end it with my power quickly. If they're strong, then we'll have a good fight."  
  
On the railing, Vegeta smirked.  
  
"Don't be childish!" Mr. Satan shouted. "Listen to your adults!"  
  
"But I _am_  a child." Trunks replied pointedly.  
  
"Let's get this show on the road!" The announcer replied, as the audience was beginning to get impatient with Mr. Satan and Trunks' banter, even if they couldn't hear it.   
  
" _It's about to start, and this kid isn't listening to a word I'm saying!_ " Mr. Satan was quickly arriving at the end of his rope. If he couldn't find a way to make this kid listen to what he was trying to say, he'd be watching his entire reputation crumble beneath his feet quicker than this kid would crumble a wall with his head. Trying to ignore the image of Trunks performing his own, considerably sleeker, warm-up exercises, Mr. Satan knew he had to find a way to win and quickly. And then an idea struck him.   
  
" _He's just a kid! If I pretend to lose to him, no one will see me in a negative light! That's it...I'll let him hit me — lightly — and that'll clinch it!"_  
  
"Okay, let's beg-!"   
  
"W-Wait!" Mr. Satan called, cutting the announcer off mid-sentence. He leaned down towards Trunks, keeping his voice low so that the announcer wouldn't be able to hear a word he was saying. "Listen, uh, kid, I forgot to tell you something important about this exhibition game. Listen really closely, because I'll only say this once!" He had to be convincing; this was his last chance to save his reputation before one eight-year old boy destroyed it in five seconds. "When the match begins, tap me very lightly in the face! Understood? _Lightly!_ " He stressed every syllable of the last word.  
  
"That sounds pretty suspicious..." Trunks shot Mr. Satan a surly look. Perhaps the boy knew that Mr. Satan was trying to con him.  
  
"N-No! Think of it like...a greeting! Yeah, it's how World Champion's shake hands! Yeah, that's it!" Mr. Satan gently nudged his fist against Trunks' cheek to illustrate the concept. "Okay? Got it!?"  
  
"Y-Yeah." Trunks was still eyeing Mr. Satan suspiciously, but he was willing to assume there was some truth in what the World Champion was saying.  
  
"Remember kid! Lightly!" Mr. Satan hissed, before turning to the announcer and shouting boastfully, "Okay! We're ready to begin the match! Sorry for the delay, I just wanted to give the little tyke some, uh, tips! He's a real strong one, and he reminds me of me when I was a kid, y'know!?"  
  
"Alright, everyone!" The announcer thrust his fist into the air. "With the thumbs up from our Champion, let the fight between the Youth Champion, Trunks, and the World Champion, Mr. Satan, BEGIN!"  
  
Leaning forward, Mr. Satan gestured right to his cheek, the signal for Trunks to perform the 'greeting'.   
  
"Would you look at this, ladies and gentlemen?!" The announcer called out in admiration. "Mr. Satan appears to be giving Trunks a free hit! What a fighter, what a guy!"  
  
"Go for it kid!"  
  
"This is great! Hang in there, kiddo!"  
  
" _Remember, lightly..._ " Trunks thought to himself, and he lazily brought his fist up to meet Mr. Satan's face. Despite trying to hold back his strength, the force of Trunks' punch launched Mr. Satan from his spot like a catapult, and he flew from the ring directly into a brick wall, stunned.   
  
The entire stadium was silent.   
  
" _It's just like I thought..._ " Mr. Satan thought to himself as he slid from the wall to the grass, his face throbbing and racking with pain. He could feel not only his face pulsate, but his entire body. " _I told that boy! Lightly!_ _Lightly!_ _I feel like I'm dying!_ " If Mr. Satan ever needed to pull himself together, it was now, and the motivation was all around him. Or rather, it wasn't. The silence of the crowd told him they were already losing their faith in him. Forcing himself to his feet, Mr. Satan clutched his stomach in apparent pain, and drew the strength to shout once more.   
  
"Wow! He really got me! Kid's got quite a right hook! What a great little fighter!"  
  
"Ladies and gentlemen, I don't believe it, but it looks like Mr. Satan threw the match in favour of young Trunks!" The announcer declared the true finale of the Youth Division to the sound of raucous approval from the entire stadium. The sounds of people praising Mr. Satan filled the air as the man left the stadium, and Trunks was standing in the center of the ring thoroughly confused.  
  
Now taking center stage, the announcer waited for the cheering to subside, when it had, he spoke again. "We will now take a 30-minute intermission before we begin the Adult Division of the Tenkaichi Budōkai! We will resume at 1:40 P.M., so please make sure to make it back here in time!"  
  
This was the announcement everyone had been waiting for. The Z-Warriors stood amongst each other, each and every single one of them glancing at possible opponents. The spark of competition flew between each and every one of them. The time was close, so dauntingly close that every fighter could feel the excitement.  
  
In half an hour, the Tenkaichi Budōkai would begin!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So what's it been guys? About a month since my last update for the Erased Chronicles? I'd like to first apologize for that. To any DBZ fan who knows, Xenoverse just came out only about a month ago, so I've been playing the game ever since I got it. I wrote like one small thing, a tie-in to Revival of F and then I dove right back into it, and as we speak, I'm still playing this bloody game. To anyone with a PS3, if you wanna fight me in Xenoverse, I can send you my PSN handle, or if you find me in the Multi-Lobby, I'm Erasa (obviously), or Carmina (my Majin). 
> 
> This chapter. This chapter was both fun and a pain to write. Something I realized halfway into the chapter — this is actually the first legitimate battle in my story. Goten vs Trunks is the first legitimate fight in this entire story, so I decided to do it justice. Just like in every chapter, I tried to throw in quite a few call backs to the original Dragon Ball. How many of you guys remembered the Fist of Rock, Scissors 'N' Paper? Anyone? I see like two of you raising your hands in the back! Just kidding, but this fight was full of a few call backs. Even the Afterimages made their return in true Goku fashion because I miss that move. Even the announcer knowing who Master Rōshi was, and what the Kamehameha was, were call backs from Dragon Ball that Toriyama seems to have forgotten.
> 
> Erasa, sadly, didn't get much screentime in this chapter; neither did Gohan, actually. And I'll say it now, this is going to be the first of a few chapters that are like that. I love Gohan and Erasa, and this is their story, but there'll be chapters where I like to focus on a few other people, and thus, Goten and Trunks is the first chapter where that really happens, where neither of them get much screentime. 
> 
> Oh Mr. Satan...Mr. Satan, you piece of shit. Writing him was so NOT fun, it actually delayed the ending of this chapter for awhile.
> 
> And I think that's everything. I hope you guys like this chapter, and once again, let's thank my friend Mangetsu20, who makes sure these chapters are in tip-top shape for when I bring them to you guys! He also helps with brainstorming. Anyway, everyone, I'll see you all in the next exciting chapter of the Erased Chronicles. Thank you guys for all of your patience!


	17. Proving My Worth

With the Youth Division of the Tenkaichi Budōkai concluded, and the 30-minute recess before the Adult Division nearly reaching its end as well, the Z-Warriors began to make their way towards the wings so that the drawing of lots could begin. Within that simple 30-minute break, Goku, Vegeta, and Gohan had nearly cleaned out the kitchens — having returned for a second meal during their wait — and the three Saiyans were feeling full of both food and energy.   
  
Stepping through the entryway, the announcer looked over from speaking with one of the monks. Upon seeing so many familiar faces standing together in one crowd, he reacted with absolute, but utterly elated, shock.   
  
"Oh my God! It's you guys!"  
  
"Yo!" Goku waved cheerfully.  
  
"Been awhile," Krillin nodded at the announcer.  
  
"This...this is incredible...!" The announcer couldn't stop himself from reacting like an overzealous fan, losing absolutely all dignity in the presence of these fighters. "I never thought I'd live to see the day when you all would show up again!" He wrung Goku's hands in a very energetic manner. "I've been waiting so long for this day!" Leaning in closer, away from the prying ears of the others, he said, specifically to Goku, "Tell me the truth, it was you guys who killed Cell, wasn't it? Not that Mr. Satan?"  
  
This earned a resounding chuckle from more than half the group; it was clear they were all eager to see someone who wasn't following Mr. Satan around like a loyal sheep.  
  
"The Budōkai's been an absolute snooze without you guys," The announcer groaned, expressing his frustration for the first time, "all of these posers, so many low-intensity fights. I saw your son compete in the Youth Division, Goku! Now _that_  was a sight for sore eyes. So tell me, are all of these people your friends!?"  
  
"Yep!" came Goku's quick confirmation (and a scoff of denial by Vegeta quickly followed).   
  
"That's great!" The announcer crowed excitedly. "This tournament is going to put all the others to shame!" He then flashed a nervous look directly at Tenshinhan and Piccolo, chuckling weakly. "Also...could you two try your best to leave our tournament with a ring intact this time around? We can't have you destroying it with every tournament."  
  
"...We'll try our best," was Piccolo's dry reply.  
  
"Oh, Goku, what's that strange glowing ring on your head?" The announcer gestured towards Goku's halo.  
  
"Oh, this? It's a halo. I died fighting Cell, but I came here today with a special pass so I could fight in the tournament."  
  
There was a very brief silence; whatever the announcer had expected to hear, death was certainly not on his top ten list. He laughed it off, however, a laugh with a slight nervous edge to it. "I...I see! You know what, I'll believe anything when it comes to you guys! So you're dead, you're dead!"  
  
" _Ahem!_ " There was a sharp clearing of the throat that brought an abrupt end to the conversation. One of the monks, standing next to a small box with a hole atop it, flashed the announcer a very stern look. Chuckling nervously, the man regained some of his professional air, waving to Goku and his friends, and rushed back towards the monk.  
  
"That man...never changes..." Tenshinshan remarked, his normally narrow eyes widened with a bit of shock at the randomness of the entire situation that he'd just borne witness to.  
  
"Okay, everyone is here!" The announcer waved the competitors over him, holding the roster that listed the names of all of the fighters. "It's finally time to start drawing the lots to determine the match-ups! When I call your names, please step up and draw a number from the box sitting next to me!"  
  
" _Seems that pretty much everyone made it._ " Erasa thought with a bright smile, looking around at the competitive line-up. Everyone besides her own companions had seemed to be  doing their own thing; Videl was standing off on her own, a very sour expression on her face. Erasa tried to flash a smile at her friend, but it was to no avail; they locked eyes, and, if possible, Videl's glower became worse, causing Erasa to shrink back for a moment.   
  
" _She's still angry..._ " Erasa thought dolefully. Turning her attention to the other competitors, her eyes settled on the rough-looking boy with the sleek black-green hair. " _For a human, he seems pretty strong_. _I wonder just how good he actually is..._ " Her sapphire orbs flickered to the two muscular, bald-men standing apart from everyone, each with a large black 'M' stamped onto their forehead. Just sensing their _ki_  caused Erasa to involuntarily shudder. " _Their ki...it's horrifying! What even are they_?"  
  
Gohan felt Erasa shudder, and immediately turned to check. "Erasa, are you alright? Is something the matter?"  
  
"N-No, not entirely..." Erasa replied slowly. "I just felt something...really dark. A dark energy." She pointed quietly at the two mystery competitors, who had yet to realize they were the center of attention. "Their _ki_...I've never felt anything like that before; just pure, unadulterated hatred."  
  
Gohan's eyes narrowed, focusing on the two strange men. To find out Erasa could sense the evil in a person's heart was surprising, as neither he, his dad, or even Vegeta could sense the intentions within an individual's _ki_. That was something that Krillin and Piccolo were far more adept at. "In that case, they must be someone we're going to have to watch our for. Let's keep our eyes peeled."  
  
"Okay, if everyone can please pay attention, we're going to start drawing lots!" The announcer said, and the conversation stopped. While still wary of the two bald men, Gohan and Erasa had to pay attention to the announcer now. Clearing his throat, he called out the first name. "Kibito."  
  
A man with long, flowing white hair, and skin, tinged red, stepped forward. Piccolo instinctively flinched. It was one of the men he'd met earlier. Walking towards the box, he placed his hand inside, pulling out a sphere with a number printed in bold.   
  
"Let's see here..." The announcer peered in over his shades, glancing at the number emblazoned on the orb. "16!" At the declaration of Kibito's number, one of the monks turned to scrawl  his name underneath the number 16 on the match roster.   
  
"Tao Pai Pai."   
  
With a smirk, Tao stepped up, reaching a mechanical hand into the box and drawing out a sphere. The announcer cast him a very shrewd look. It was clear he hadn't forgotten the moment Tao had pulled a knife on Tenshinhan in a previous tournament; as they were pressed for time, however, he kept quiet and called out Tao's number (3) for the monk to scribble onto the roster.  
  
"Son Gohan."  
  
Erasa smiled, nudging Gohan forward. Smiling back, Gohan walked towards the box, pulling out an orb for himself. He showed it to the announcer; on it was the number 15.   
  
"So I'm going to be fighting that guy?" Gohan looked in Kibito's direction, but the man didn't acknowledge the boy's own stare. Feeling a hand on his shoulder, Gohan looked behind him to see it was Piccolo, gripping his shoulder in a fatherly manner.   
  
"A word of advice, Gohan," The Namekian said cautiously. "Don't get cocky and overestimate that man. He's not...normal."  
  
"Yeah..." Gohan agreed, looking from Piccolo to his future opponent, and then back again. "I sort of got that vibe from him. Or rather, it's a vibe I'm not getting. And yet..."  
  
"And yet?" Piccolo repeated.  
  
"I'm feeling pretty confident. After all, I've got some of the best training under my belt," Gohan grinned at his former teacher, who returned a very wry smile.  
  
When Erasa's name was called, she swallowed loudly. Flashing a nervous grin at Gohan, who returned it confidently, she walked towards the box, placing her hand inside the opening. While she was certainly pleased that she wouldn't have to fight Gohan in the first round, that still left nearly everyone else. She knew outright that being thrust into battle against Goku or Vegeta would be a very bad situation indeed; she also didn't want to be matched up against Videl, though this was for personal reasons.  
  
As she pulled out the sphere, Erasa's heart backflipped — emblazoned on the orb she clutched tightly was a bold number 1.  
  
"N-Number 1? I'm in the first match!?"  
  
"Don't stress over it," Gohan said soothingly as Erasa walked back towards her group, the monk writing her name up onto the match-up board. "I'm sure you'll do just fine; remember your training, and maintain your composure. If you think too much, you'll lose precious time when you're trying to perform any kind of maneuver. Don't worry; I'll be right in the wings, watching and cheering you on."  
  
"T-Thanks, Gohan." Erasa smiled weakly.  
  
"Number 18."  
  
18 walked over to the the announcer, who looked at her curiously.  
  
"Is 'Number 18' your real name?" He wasn't able to stop himself from asking.  
  
"What can I say, 'Dad' had a bad sense of humor," the woman replied dryly as she reached into the box and withdrew an orb labeled '4'. There was a snicker from behind her; her icy-blue eyes turned lazily to see Tao Pai Pai chuckling to himself, as if amused at the prospect of fighting 18. Sighing, she set the orb down, and walked back towards the group, ignoring Tao entirely. Fighting another cyborg would prove to be entertaining at the very least.   
  
"Tenshinhan."  
  
Tenshinshan stepped forward when his name was called, pulling out an 8. He returned to the group, his mind on the possibilities of who he would be fighting. He had wanted to fight Tao, and it was obvious Tao was hoping to fight either him or Goku — only to have his hopes dashed by Number 18 — but that would have to wait until either the finals, or if Tenshinhan had a 'word' with Tao after the tournament proper. " _I wouldn't mind fighting anyone here, to be honest. Fighting Goku is always a thrill, but seeing how Gohan has matured could be exciting in and of itself. Then of course, there's the chance to put Vegeta in his place."_  
  
The Three-Eyed Clansman had obviously not yet forgotten the havoc the Saiyans wrought when they arrived to Earth.  
  
"Son Goku!"  
  
Grinning, Goku walked over to the announcer, who broke into a similar smile.  
  
"Do me a favour, Goku, and knock 'em dead when you go out there!" The blonde man said appreciatively. "Your kind of fights are what I love to see!"  
  
"Heh heh heh...!" The Saiyan scratched the back of his head; such praise wasn't something he was too used to. Mr. Satan was the one who received this kind of admiration, and to be honest, Goku found the sensation odd. "Don't you worry, I'm only here to give the best fights I can! Now, which one will it be?" Drawing out a sphere, he glanced at the number. "This is....five, right?" He held the orb at eye level, and there was indeed a '5' inscribed on it.  
  
"Yes, Goku, that is a five." The announcer replied, sounding slightly surprised as the monk scribbled Goku's name down under the number 5.  
  
"Videl."  
  
Walking forward, the girl thrust her hand into the box, almost snatching the number out quite violently. Glancing at it, she saw it had the number 14 on it, and showed it to the announcer, before asking, "Have you seen my Dad at all?"  
  
"Oh, Mr. Satan? The monks told me he's taking a break, so I'll draw for him later."  
  
Grumbling in dissatisfaction, Videl sauntered back off to her corner.  
  
"Rayo!"  
  
"About time my name was called! I was starting to get impatient!" A boisterous voice responded; it became clear the voice belonged to the young teenager Erasa had seen earlier, a boy with a very sharp expression and slicked black hair with a minor green tint. With a smirk, he walked up towards the box, reaching in and pulling out a number. "Let's see what I got!" Proudly showing off the ball to the announcer, the blonde man saw number 2 in the dim light of his sunshades.  
  
"Number 2!" He called out for the monk to write onto the board.  
  
" _Two?_ " Erasa perked up when Rayo's number was called. " _So he's going to be my opponent..._ " In full force, Erasa felt the nervous wash over her like a cold wave. But this time, it was mitigated by murmurings of excitement and relief. She was happy not to be fighting Goku, Vegeta, or anyone else from her group. And she now had an entirely new round to wait before she had juggle the possibility of fighting Videl. This new unknown had at least saved her from both of those terrifying prospects; in addition, she could feel his energy and he felt to be on a similar level to her own.  
  
Now she had a real chance to show what she could do, just how far she could go, with everyone watching.  
  
"Ma Junior!"  
  
Piccolo took a silent walk forward, withdrew a ball labeled 9, and walked back.  
  
"Ma Junior?" Goku leaned in, curious about Piccolo's choice of alias.  
  
"I decided to adopt that name again, rather than use 'Piccolo'," The Namekian explained briefly, "I don't think the masses would take kindly to remembering the Great Demon King."  
  
"Spopovich."  
  
Lumbering forward was one of the bald, muscular men that Erasa had taken notice of before. Only after hearing his name did she realize he wasn't a stranger to her at all; at least, not in the sense that she hadn't heard of him. Spopovich had competed in a previous Tenkaichi Budōkai, fighting against Mr. Satan. She remembered it had been a popular subject in celebrity magazines for quite awhile, and, if she recalled, Spopovich had looked different.   
  
" _Oh that's right, he had hair back then._ " Her memory fixated on the fiery mop of red hair she'd seen while flipping through a magazine. Lost in her little memory stroll, Erasa barely heard that Spopovich had landed the number 13 — this meant he was to be fighting Videl.  
  
"Shin."  
  
When this name was called, Piccolo became quite rigid, like a board. He became alert, attentive, and it was a change that Gohan had come to associate with danger. Eyeing Piccolo warily, Gohan was only dimly aware of the purple-skinned, mohawked man who walked smoothly towards the announcer.  
  
" _Why is it I react this way when this...Shin...steps into the area?_  Piccolo thought, stunned. " _Have I possibly gone mad? Lost my mind?_ "  
  
"10!" With his number drawn, Shin had his name written onto the tournament roster, directly next to Piccolo on the brackets. With a motion that was simply gliding, Shin floated over to Piccolo, smiling his strange, disconcerting smile. "It would appear as if we are opponents, Ma Junior. I look forward to a thrilling match."   
  
Piccolo simply remained quiet, the sensation of being unable to articulate a response hitting him for the first time in his life.   
  
"Vegeta."  
  
Finally having an excuse to move from his spot, Vegeta went to retrieve his number. If fate was said to work in mysterious ways, never was that more apparent than when Vegeta laid eyes on the number he'd drawn from his ballot.  
  
"Number 6."  
  
There was a collective stir from the fighters gathered in the room, at least the ones who were allied with the Z-Fighters.   
  
"What?" Goku looked over at the brackets, wondering if he'd heard the number correctly. And yet his eyes didn't deceive — written under the numbers 5 and 6 were 'Son Goku' and 'Vegeta'.   
  
"Y-You're kidding me!" Krillin gulped. "Goku and Vegeta are going to be fighting in the first round of the tournament? Are we even ready for this!?"  
  
Vegeta, however, couldn't be more thrilled with the outcome of his draw. A sneer crossed his face, the first emotion resembling 'joy' he'd felt since he'd arrived at this aggravating tournament. " _Yes! I've waited for this day for far too long! A chance to prove my true Saiyan abilities; a battle against Kakarot!_ "  
  
Grinning to himself, Goku felt excitement run through his veins, coursing quickly like blood. "I suppose it figures...!"   
  
As Vegeta walked back towards his post against a brick wall, he and Goku exchanged a glance that told each other everything that needed to be said without words. Neither one of them intended to lose, nor did they intend to hold back in the slightest.   
  
"Next is Mr. Satan, but I'll draw for him." The announcer reached his hand into the box, pulling out a large 12. "Mr. Satan is number 12!" With barely anyone taking notice of the announcement besides Videl, the man cleared his throat, and called for Krillin to step forward.  
  
"Alright, my turn!" Krillin grinned. He was feeling fairly confident now that Piccolo, Gohan, Goku, and Vegeta were matched up. Tenshinhan was a powerful competitor, but he felt a bit more levelled facing a fellow human than he would an alien. The mystery man standing next to Spopovich certainly looked frightening, but Krillin felt confident, even feeling that evil power, that he could handle it.  Reaching into the box, Krillin pulled out an orb.  
  
Inscribed on it was the number 7.  
  
"Would you look at that...Tenshinhan, you're going to be my opponent!" Krillin waved the number towards his fellow bald-friend, who cast the moving sphere an appraising sort-of look.   
  
Tenshinhan's eyes — all three of them — widened briefly before he smiled. "I couldn't have asked for a better opponent." In truth, Tenshinhan was excited. He had never fought Krillin before, but from witnessing Krillin's battles, he knew the man was an ingenious fighter. In fact, as far as Tenshinhan knew, when it came to human fighters, Krillin was the best competition there could be.  
  
As his name was written up on the board, Krillin walked past Tenshinshan, and they exchanged another brief glance. To say both were eager would be an understatement. A battle between the protégés of the Turtle and Crane schools was always filled with tension, but this was a new kind of tension; the tension between two friends and respected warriors eager to prove themselves against each other.  
  
"The last competitor is Yamu," The announcer called forward the final man who had not drawn his lot, the other bald individual standing next to Spopovich. "He gets the final number, 11, which will pit him against the might of Mr. Satan!"  
  
"With this, the fights of the first round are determined!!" The announcer gestured to the roster for everyone to read. "The first round of the Budōkai will begin shortly! Until then, please follow me into the waiting room!" The competitors followed him, some talking, others silent, into the waiting room, while the announcer himself bid them good luck before leaving them for the arena.  
  
"Hello again, fans of the Tenkaichi Budōkai!" He crowed into the stands, his voice ringing from all sides. "It's finally about to begin! The Adult Division of the Tenkaichi Budōkai!" Wheeling the match-up roster out from the waiting room, he showed it off for the whole of the crowd. "Listen carefully, I'll read out the match-ups in order!" Gesturing broadly to the roster, he called out each and every match-up out loud for the entire audience.  
  
"MATCH NUMBER ONE! ERASA VS RAYO!"  
  
"Erasa's in the first match?" Marque spluttered from his place in the stands. Surely, he'd wanted to see his daughter fight, but wasn't the pressure a bit much for the first match of the first round?  
  
"MATCH NUMBER TWO! TAO VS NUMBER 18!"  
  
"MATCH NUMBER THREE! SON GOKU VS VEGETA!"  
  
"W-what!?" Bulma nearly dropped her soft drink in surprise.  
  
"Goku and Vegeta fighting right off the bat?" Chi-Chi's eyes were wide as saucers now.   
  
"It looks like we're going to get our money's worth after all," Yamcha replied weakly. He was worried now; if those two fought, there was guaranteed to be very little left of the stadium.   
  
"MATCH FOUR! KRILLIN VS TENSHINHAN!"  
  
"Now that's a match-up I didn't think I'd get to see," Master Rōshi chuckled to himself. "Now, if only that old Crane Hermit were here to see this!"  
  
"MATCH FIVE! MA JUNIOR VS SHIN!"  
  
"MATCH SIX! MR. SATAN VS YAMU!"  
  
"MATCH SEVEN! VIDEL VS SPOPOVICH!"  
  
"MATCH EIGHT! SON GOHAN VS KIBITO!"  
  
"There he is! My boy's the last match of the first round!" Chi-Chi called down to anyone who would listen.   
  
"And there they are!" The announcer called out, parroting Chi-Chi. "All of the matches are as I've listed! We've got a fine crop of fighters out here in the Budōkai this year, but the million Zeni question is: who will take home the gold!? I'm sure you're just as eager to find out as I am, so without further ado, let's begin the first round!"  
  
There was a roar of approval from the audience, and the announcer wasted no time calling forth the first two fighters.  
  
"Match One: Erasa vs Rayo!"  
  
Back in the waiting room, Erasa took a deep breath when she heard her name called. " _It's finally time...fighting in front of the crowd..._ " She was trembling again. As eager as she had been when she arrived on the island, the pressure was starting to eat away at her once again. " _Dad's out there...Gohan's going to be watching...I'm the product of his hard work, but what if I'm a disappointment?_ "  
  
"You're letting it happen again," Gohan leaned forward, a gentle smile on his face as he looked at Erasa's slightly quivering form. "I know how much the pressure can be before your first fight, trust me. Especially when you've got quite a bit to prove. But I'm not going to be watching your fight to judge you, Erasa. This is your moment, isn't it? Focus on you, and give it your best!"  
  
"Gohan..." Erasa blinked, her shivering beginning to subside.  
  
"You were trained by my student, right?" Piccolo's harsh voice seemed calming as he spoke to Gohan's student. "Go into your fight with a level head; don't get cocky. A long time ago, my father overestimated his powers and lost to a technique called the Mafūba. Whether you're strong or weak, how you fight can determine a victory. When you step into that ring, use everything at your disposal and win!"  
  
"R-Right!" With Gohan and Piccolo's words of encouragement behind her, Erasa stepped into the light, followed by the teenager called Rayo.  
  
"And here are our competitors! Believe it or not, here we have two first timers! This is Erasa's first time competing in the Tenkaichi Budōkai, however, she is associated with Son Goku, who, as you all know, fought many heated battles in this very arena many years ago! She's looking to prove herself by competing, and I'm sure we can expect great things! Rayo, likewise, is a virtual unknown! However, word has it he's been trained by an elderly spiritualist known for many powerful techniques! To say this has the makings of a great battle is the understatement of the century!"  
  
"So you're the one I'm going to be squaring off against?" Rayo's eyes, sharp and piercing, narrowed as he smirked. He cracked his knuckles, a sign that he was more than ready to go. "When that old bag told me that entering this tournament was going to be part of my training, I thought it was going to be a waste of time."  
  
A vein throbbed in Erasa's head at this; was he implying she was too weak for him? With Rayo's bold words, all of Erasa's nervousness — every bit of lingering doubt — vanished in this moment. What was left was her own determination; with Gohan and Piccolo's words, and Rayo's own arrogance, Erasa now drew herself up to full height.  
  
"I can see the fire in their eyes!" The announcer called from the sidelines. "Without further ado — BEGIN!"  
  
"Just so you know," Rayo grinned, as he spread his feet into a ready stance, raising his arms up akin to a boxer. "I don't have any qualms about fighting a girl, so long as you can put up a decent fight in return."  
  
"Good," Erasa replied, bending at the knee as she spread her legs apart into a stance; she raised her left arm up in front of her body, allowing her right to rest at her side. Piccolo immediately recognized the stance as one of his own. Flexing her fingers, she took a deep breath. This was going to be her first true opponent; her first real match. She could already sense Rayo's _ki_ , and it was far more on her level than any other human she'd met thus far.  
  
"The tension in the air is palpable as these two fighters seem to be giving us an old fashioned stand-off!" The announcer's voice rang loud and crisp over the silence. "Who will make the first move!?"  
  
That question would soon be answered — and simultaneously, no clear answer was given — as Erasa and Rayo crossed the arena with marked time, neither wanting to give the other the first move. Swiftly, Erasa let loose a flurry of jabs towards Rayo's head, only for him to dodge them in equal fervor. With a surprise bit of ingenuity Erasa hadn't expected so quickly in the match, Rayo flipped backwards using nothing but pure leg power, thrusting the toe of foot forward towards Erasa.   
  
" _So fast!_ " Erasa, unlike Rayo, had to utilize her ability of flight to properly avoid flip, spiraling backwards as if she too had merely backpedaled, though in actuality she was propelling herself far more agilely with her _ki_. Landing neatly onto her feet, she stood tall again in time to see Rayo barreling towards her at breakneck speeds.  
  
"Look at these two go! For two teenagers, they're certainly some of the most fleet-footed fighters I've seen to date!" Whether the announcer was just generalizing or not remained to be seen, as Goten and Trunks were certainly faster fighters, and their small sizes had made their speed even more apparent. Then, of course, was Goku and Piccolo's fight, which he had also bore witness to.  
  
Responding quickly, Erasa dashed forward, and swung her left foot forward. The sole of her foot collided with Rayo's chin, stunning him. She lifted them both off the ground, forcing him higher while her foot was still connected to his chin, before she flipped backwards, using her foot to throw Rayo directly under her. Finishing the combo, Erasa slammed her her right foot onto Rayo's chest, sending him hurtling downward to the ring.  
  
"How about that?" She called from the air. "Taking me seriously now!?"  
  
Gasping briefly, Rayo rose up, rubbing his chin, wincing. "Ow, that smarts!" He groaned, still rubbing his chin where a red bruise has grown, and his chest, where pain throbbed violently. When he saw Erasa flying, however, the pain briefly faded in his surprise. "You can _fly_? That's a new one. I guess you're not too bad after all."  
  
Rayo wasn't the only one who noticed Erasa's skill. The crowd began to mutter to themselves, as if planning a dissent; their mutterings full of doubt and awe.  
  
"Is she really flying?"  
  
"Didn't those two boys do that too?"  
  
"Don't believe anything you see! Mr. Satan says all of these things are tricks!"  
  
The only normal human who wasn't doubting what he saw was Marque, who was watching his daughter proudly. He hadn't quite accepted the feats she could perform yet. such as chucking that poor boy into the air, but when he realized she seemed so alive while practicing martial arts — more-so than he could ever remember seeing after Quille's death — he couldn't find it in his heart to feel anything negative towards what she could do, what their World Champion called 'tricks'. His daughter was more real to him than anything Mark would say.  
  
Rayo began to make short leaps from side to side, flexing his muscles after such a painful fall onto the polished marble floor of the Budōkai arena. " _If she's going to be spending her time soaring like that, I'm going to have to find a way to bring her down. But how? She seems to be flying entirely unsupported; no wind, nothing. Ugh...it's not like me to have to think so hard on something that looks so simple!_ " Rayo was trying to wrack his brain for a solution on how to get Erasa literally back on his level, but he didn't have to wait long.   
  
Much like a bat out of Hell, Erasa soared towards Rayo, thrusting her fist forward with the force to rend the air around her. With his palm, Rayo blocked her blow, tightening his fingers around her fist and jerking her forward. He then slammed his knee into Erasa's stomach, winding the girl through the force of the blow. Releasing her arm, he gave her a second to stumble back, clutching her stomach.   
  
"Nice to have you back down on my level," Rayo snarked, aiming a firm punch towards Erasa's winded form.   
  
Unfettered, Erasa summoned her strength and took the skies once more, Rayo's blow missing, causing him to stumble beneath her, a look of mild frustration on his face as he looked up at her floating form.  
  
" _It pains me to admit it, but he's pretty good._ " Erasa thought to herself, rubbing her stomach. Though her breath was haggard, she worked hard to steady it. " _I only have one real tactical advantage, and that's my flight. As far as brute force goes, he and I are about equal. I'm going to have to take him off guard, and my flight has already lost surprise value. I could try_ that _...no, I don't know if I can control it yet._ " She frowned.   
  
"What's Erasa doing?" Goku asked, looking up at the girl's floating form. "She hasn't made a move in a few minutes."  
  
"She's assessing the situation, Dad," Gohan explained, a touch of pride in his voice. He was quite pleased with her performance in the battle thus far, and didn't think that taking a moment to regroup when that chance presented itself was a bad thing. "Erasa's a smart girl, so I don't doubt she'll figure something out."  
  
"This has all made for a very fun little warm-up, but I think I'm gonna put your flight show on the breaks!" Rayo called upwards at Erasa. He grasped at his right wrist with his left hand, making a gesture towards Erasa that was familiar to any child fond of cowboys; a finger gun. An electrical current began to crackle around his hand, localizing itself around the tip of his index finger as it formed a glowing sphere of azure energy.  
  
"Shooting Range!" Rayo bellowed, before letting loose the sphere as a quickly traveling bullet of _ki_  — a powerful sphere that shot directly towards Erasa, rendering the distance she put between herself and Rayo entirely pointless.  
  
"What's this!?" The announcer voiced everyone's question aloud as he watched the display of power in awe. "Rayo has just let loose a quickly travelling bullet of light from his fingertips! And it's heading right for Erasa!"  
  
" _I knew that kid was more than he let on._ " Tenshinhan thought, observing the phenomenon with all three eyes. " _It's not every day you see a human who can release a sphere that strong at his age._ "  
  
Surprise had overwhelmed Erasa, who wasn't able to properly perform a true counterattack. The most she could do in this situation was shield her body with her arms as the sphere of heated plasma collided into her, causing an explosion that shook the air. The crowed gasped as a plume of smoke erupted where Erasa had been floating.   
  
Rayo waited patiently, expecting Erasa's body to come falling down from smokescreen within moments.  
  
But it didn't come.  
  
Instead, he saw something bright, white with a yellow outline, came whizzing out from the veil of vapor, blasting apart to reveal Erasa, floating, slightly frayed but no more worse for wear. As if replaying the previous moment, it was Rayo now who was taken offguard as he extended a hand to fend off Erasa's yellow ki blast. The ball collided with him, forcing him back with a large explosion.  
  
" _I spoke too soon. Gohan's student is a talented one as well._ " Tenshinhan thought.  
  
" _Just like I thought, even forming a sphere is still a bit much_." Erasa mused, glancing at very minor burns on her skin. Trying to force _ki_  into a shape was still a bit difficult. Not impossible for her, as she'd just shown, but for now, she was still more comfortable with hand-to-hand battling than _ki_  blasts; uncontrolled, they tended to spiral out and explode on her. " _Of course, with this guy, I might not get the luxury of something like only melee fighting_."  
  
She was going to have adapt, and fast.  
  
Standing up, Rayo wiped a trickle of blood from his chin, grinning. It was obvious to anyone who could see his face that he was enjoying this fight — a sentiment that Goku and Vegeta could appreciate. " _That old bag said I'd meet some weird and strong opponents if I came out to this tournament. Naturally, I didn't believe a word of it, so I didn't expect to meet someone this good in the first round._ " He crackled his knuckles, the loud popping noise audible to even Erasa's ears.   
  
Settling into a comfortable stance once more, Rayo was tearing off towards Erasa, and she responded in kind, moving fleet-footedly across the marble tile arena. Quickly side-stepping a punch thrown by Erasa, Rayo slammed his knee hard into her back, causing the girl to gasp and stumble. Pulling her back by the collar of her _gi_ , he threw her forward, before performing a quick elbow jab into Erasa's stomach, winding the girl for a second time. He thrust his fist forward, only to be sent staggering back by an invisible force.  
  
Erasa, winded though she was, shot a sharp glare at Rayo; a glare that released a very powerful _Kiai_. Taking a sharp intake of breath, it was her turn now. She thrust her right leg up, swinging it in an arc before it connected with Rayo's face, stunning him. Pushing her hand forward, Erasa released another _kiai_  — this was a common style of technique in the Demon School — and it forced him back along the marble tiles.   
  
Rayo was quick to recover, however, and he only reciprocated Erasa's physical onslaught. With a smile on his face despite the beating he'd received, he bat an incoming punch away with his wrist. Evenly matched, the two began a swift exchange of blows, thundering cracks of physical force that resounded within the confines of the arena. Fist and arm met, clashing, bouncing apart before reclashing again.   
   
The two fierce opponents began to dash across the stadium, still locked in combat. The rest of the crowd was beginning to lose track of where Erasa and Rayo were — even the announcer couldn't accurately commentate anymore, his observations were always several moments behind Rayo and Erasa's next actions — and tracking through sound was the best method now.  
  
It was only when Erasa closed in that she realized an error in judgement.   
  
Thrusting her fist forward, Rayo caught it in his free hand, causing her to let out a surprised gasp. Pointing directly at her stomach was Rayo's finger gun, and he was wearing a very smug grin.  
  
"Looks like I got you."   
  
" _I fell for it!_ " Erasa thought in shock as she tried to pull her fist free, but found herself unable to escape his grasp. Rayo's hand crackled with electricity that flared once again into a sphere of bright white _ki_  with a vivid blue outline.  
  
"Shooting Range!" He crowed, releasing the sphere from his fingertip. It detonated point-blank, creating a booming explosion in the center of the arena.   
  
"What's this!?" The announced crowed, happy to have the fight back at speeds he could process.   
  
Gohan watched, waiting for the smoke to clear with bated breath. That blast wasn't lethal, he could sense that much. But sensing _ki_  only told one so much; the scope of any injuries she could have sustained wasn't something Gohan could accurately gauge.   
  
The smokescreen finally cleared, and when it did, the sight was quite interesting to behold. Erasa was still standing, her free, unrestrained hand was in front of her stomach. On it were burns, bright and freshly red, but intact. A small grin was on her face; she was obviously satisfied with herself. Rayo, on the other hand, looked less than pleased. Much like Erasa, he was looking worse for wear; both, in fact, were suffering from a multitude of scuffs and scorches from his Shooting Range alone. As smart as it may have been to lure Erasa towards him, launching that attack at point blank range without a back-up may not have been the best idea.  
  
"Are her hands burned?" Krillin queried, able to notice the fleshy redness even from where he stood.   
  
"She's a resourceful one," Piccolo noted with a smirk. "Though she's lucky she didn't lose a hand from the stunt she just pulled."  
  
"I think she must have mitigated the _ki_  blast with one of her own at the last second," Gohan surmised, smiling slightly more than he ought to have been given the circumstances of Erasa's injury.    
  
"Who knew it'd start to look this bleak?" Rayo asked rhetorically. After the shock of the explosion, his grip had slackened, and his energy was running low. " _I'd reckon I only have about two good 'bullets' left in me. If she's going to draw our match out, I can't afford to squander that little bit of ammunition..._ " He flexed his fingers, feeling his energy flow out through his body, covering his fist in a warm glow.   
  
" _Channeling his_ ki _?_ " Erasa thought, witnessing the blue glow enveloped Rayo's hands. " _He seems to be as low on reserve energy as I am right now; I don't think he's got too many more of those large blasts left. So he's conserving it through that — compressing it all into a punch with the force of one of his bullets_." But _ki_  flow was a skill Erasa had mastered as well. Taking a deep breath, Erasa steadied the flow of her _ki_  out towards her palms, enveloping them in light.  
  
Rayo's eyes widened slightly, but he felt a sense of respect for Erasa growing steadily within himself. "You really aren't any ordinary opponent. I don't think I've ever met anyone who can take everything I throw at them and return it in kind. You're one hell of a stubborn bastard, aren't you?"  
  
"I almost thought you had the capacity to say something nice," Erasa replied, a bitter expression crossing her face. "But even your compliments are backhanded, aren't they?"  
  
"I get that a lot," Rayo shrugged, smiling.   
  
Erasa couldn't help but let out the chime of a laugh, before a look of determination crossed her face. Regardless of how she may think of Rayo, an opponent is an opponent; that much was clear. Foregoing their conversation, the two vanished, moving at their fullest speed. They clashed once again in the dead center of the arena, their energy enhanced blows creating claps of thunder once more.  
  
"After a tense few minutes, our competitors are off again!" The announcer called out excitedly. "I'm sad to say I can't even follow their movements at this point! It's clear they're trying to end this quickly!"  
  
That much was true. Erasa and Rayo were fighting fiercely, exchanging physical blows with vigor. For every attack that landed, another was blocked or parried. When Rayo's fist connected with her face, Erasa responded in kind with an enhanced, double palm thrust that sent a violent shock of pain through his body. The force of the blow sent him tumbling backwards, but Erasa didn't falter, pursuing her target without stopping.   
  
And yet Rayo was in no position to give up. He knew what kind of Hell he'd be in for if that old woman heard he lost his fight in such a pitiful manner; even more was that his pride wouldn't be able to handle it. And thus, when Erasa neared him, he propelled himself into a flying kick that connected with her breastbone, and it was the young blonde girl's turn to be sent spiraling backwards.  
  
" _This fight isn't going to end...not unless one of us gets the other to expend more than just our physical energy_." Erasa thought, breathing heavily. She had to have a way to coax Rayo's energy out, without making it seem obvious. And then she remembered something critical — the one advantage she had that Rayo himself lacked. Standing up, the girl began to float in the air once more, much to Rayo's ire.   
  
" _That flight! She's still got enough energy for it!?_ " The black haired youth thought in irritation, as Erasa came flying towards him. Bracing himself, he saw her cup a single hand to her side; it was glowing brightly with yellow energy. Extending her hand, Erasa sent a _ki_  blast hurtling towards Rayo. Raising his hand up, he forced it out of his vision, but this temporary obscurity bought Erasa the opening she needed.  
  
"Gotcha!" The girl crowed, slipping her arms under Rayo's, putting him into a Full-Nelson to restrict his movement.   
  
"What the hell are you doing!?" Rayo growled, struggling to escape Erasa's grasp.  
  
Ignoring his protests, Erasa began to rise into the air, keeping a firm hold on Rayo as she increased her speed, shooting into the air like a rocket. Everyone's eyes were on Erasa now, the entire crowd watching her ascend with her new cargo.  
  
"Erasa's pulling a peculiar move!" The announcer declared, trying to keep her slowly shrinking form onto focus. "Putting Rayo into a Nelson hold, she's rising ever higher into the air! I know it's a beautiful day, but a view of the sky from up there can't be any better than down here, so what could she be planning?"  
  
While the announcer remained ignorant of Erasa's intentions, for Rayo, the end result was slowing becoming clear. The arena was becoming smaller, until the people were no longer visible and even the stadium itself was a speck. _She was going to drop him._ Erasa began to spin, making vast circling motions in the air, akin to a satellite circling its planet. With a sudden jolt, Erasa tore back to the ground in a nosedive, spiraling downwards.   
  
" _Shit!_ " Rayo thought as the force of the descent began to bear down on him. They were falling down like a rock and he knew they would hit hard. And yet he was wrong on one part; there would be no 'they'. With a massive force, Erasa flipped over in the air, letting Rayo loose with a mighty throw. She cast him down towards the arena, the speed of his initial descent only increased by both gravity and the force of Erasa's strength.   
  
"This is insane!" came the announcer's shocked voice at Erasa's surprise maneuver. "After ascending several feet into the air, Erasa has thrown Rayo from an assuredly crippling height!"  
  
" _H-He's right!_ " Rayo thought in a wild panic. If he collided with the marble tiled arena floor from this height, and moving at this speed, he wouldn't walk away from that without a few broken bones. " _I don't have a choice! I've got to expend the last of my energy if I want to live to beat the crap out of that girl!_ " He extended his hand downwards — the air pressure making this a very difficult feat — and began to charge his _ki_  into his fingertip. He needed to time it just right.   
  
With only moments before a collision, Rayo removed the dam blocking his energy flow. "SHOOTING GALLERY DUPLEX!" From his finger exploded one bullet, large, vibrant and blue, and then a second. They collided with each other, twisting and melding into a singular large bullet that exploded as soon as it made contact with the arena. The updraft from the explosion pushed Rayo backwards, slowing his descent from a fatal speed to a much softer fall.  
  
And yet his desperate to survive had taken his attention away from his opponent, and distraction would cost him. When the updraft had forced him backwards, he felt a sharp blow collide with his back, forcing him harshly onto the tiles of the Budōkai arena. Erasa has taken advantage of distraction, his squandering of his final two bullets, to land a surprise attack from behind, knocking him down onto the ground. She landed behind his fallen figure, panting heavily.  
  
"Did....did I do it?" She gasped, and it was only when she spoke that the announcer realized he had to start counting.  
  
"One!" He thundered through the microphone. "Two — Three — Four — Five — Six — Seven — Eight — Nine —!" And yet he was unable to make it to ten before he saw the unconscious form of Rayo begin to stir.   
  
"He can still move...!" Erasa muttered aloud as Rayo forced himself into a sitting position. The air was tense; Erasa took a fighting position, ready to expend the last of her energy to make another attempt at fending Rayo off until —   
  
"I forfeit."   
  
The words that escaped Rayo's mouth left the entire crowd stunned. After a seat-gripping battle with a heart stopping near-finale, Rayo, despite managing to move after a near ten count, had forfeited the match.  
  
"W-Why?" Erasa asked blankly, as confused as the others. Rayo stood up, rubbing his shoulders and stretching. "Forfeit? You escaped the ten count, you survived my last blow; why give up?"  
  
"I think it's fitting," Rayo shrugged. He walked over to Erasa, extending a hand. "Your ploy used up the last of my energy. Even if we continued to fight, I wouldn't be able to put up a very good counterattack. Additionally, I might have some fractured bones from my kiss with the ground. No, I think you've got me beaten here." He pushed his hand towards her a little more insistently this time, and Erasa, while still confused, smiled and grasped it in a handshake.  
  
"You...you're a very bewildering person, Rayo," Erasa said, chuckling.  
  
"You heard it here, folks!" The announcer stepped into the ring, shouting through the microphone for everyone to hear. "The victor of the first match, by way of forfeit, is Erasa!"  
  
Removing her hand from Rayo's, Erasa turned to wave into the crowd, hoping her father could see her from where he was sitting, before turning towards the waiting room and waving happily at Gohan, who returned her eagerness with a very proud smile. "I won, Gohan!" She shouted, as if the announcer hadn't quite made it clear. "I did it!" In the stands, Marque was wearing a smile all his own; a man proud of the progress his daughter made as she tried to prove herself. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, so this chapter had quite a turbulent development process. I went into this new chapter very eager — a little overeager, in fact. But I think that was a bad thing; I'm not sure if I was suffering from writer's block, but for a good portion of the month, I wasn't able to work up the true drive to write this chapter. Which is sad, as this was Erasa's fighting debut. To add to that, I'm trying to balance work, my writing, my friends, and my constant desire to play Dragon Ball Xenoverse, as well as my family, so its difficult. However, not impossible, as I've shown. Regardless, I'm sorry for the wait on this chapter, and I pray it's to everyone's liking.
> 
> As short as it seems, I rather like Erasa's first fight. She's a very nice girl, but at the same time, she was trained by Gohan, who was trained by Piccolo, and I wanted that to show a bit in the way she fights. And yet at the same time, it's difficult not to make her come as as uncharacteristically callous, especially with her final move of the fight; throwing a human from that height can seem like a very evil thing to do, but in the end, I think it worked, given Erasa wasn't actually trying to kill Rayo. 
> 
> Something I'm trying to keep consistent is character interaction; just because this is DBZ doesn't mean I want to make it all action. Showing Piccolo give Erasa and Gohan some rather fatherly support — as well as showing Marque, Erasa's actual father — was probably among my own personal highlights for this chapter. Goku may be my childhood hero, but I don't see him as a father, which is why I use Piccolo for situations where Gohan needs some fatherly guidance. 
> 
> So the mystery boy with the ability to shoot finger guns finally has his name revealed — in the same chapter he's defeated, poor guy. Like all DBZ names, this one is a pun. In this particular case, the term Rayo refers to the 'shaft' of a vegetable root. I only now realize just how hilarious that is, as he wound up planted in the ground at the end of the chapter. I actually could not decide precisely how Rayo was going to be defeated; I didn't want Erasa to out and out win her first fight, not just through sheer power. I was setting Rayo up as someone who was a bit more on her level; a talented, remarkable human. And thus, I figured it would be best to have him forfeit without losing outright. Can't wait to see how that is received. 
> 
> Well, as usual, let's give thanks to my friend Mangetsu20, who proofreads these chapters after I finish to make sure they're fit for viewing! I'll see you guys next in, in the next exciting installment of the Erased Chronicles!


	18. Cybernetic Warfare

"I won, Gohan!" Erasa was still enthralled at her win, flying over from the ring without a second thought into the wings, embracing Gohan eagerly, her face plastered with a wide smile. "I-I can't believe it, but I actually did it! All because of what you and Mr. Piccolo said, mainly!"  
  
"You did really good out there, Erasa!" Gohan couldn't resist grinning back; her eager attitude was infectious. He returned her hug eagerly, nearly lifting her off the ground, unable to repress his own excitement at Erasa's first proper victory. "Your big finishing move was spectacular, I didn't expect that kind of stunt from you!"   
  
"I just took Mr. Piccolo's advice," the blonde replied casually, but she felt really proud of herself. All of the nervousness she had was gone. "He told me to use _everything_  at my disposal to win; I assume everything could also include my opponent and they're own techniques."  
  
"...You've got some promise after all, kid," Piccolo replied with a small grin. "You were very crafty out there; I'm looking forward to seeing how you progress in the coming battles. You're going to need that wit about you in the next round; you're going to be fighting one of us, after all."  
  
Her excitement dropped at that a little. Piccolo was right; the next match was going to decide _her_  next opponent. Which meant this was going to be a match she needed to pay attention to. " _If I can study everything about the two competitors in the upcoming match...who knows? Maybe I can pull an upset in my next fight!_ " She thought to herself. Within this comforting thought in mind, the girl settled next to Gohan, his arm around her waist, while she paid rapt attention to the announcer, who was beginning to speak again.  
  
"After such an intense battle, I can't keep the audience waiting too long!" The announcer crowed, his voice reaching high into the stands. "Let's move onto the second match! TAO PAI PAI VS. NUMBER 18!"   
  
"Go get 'im, honey!" Krillin grinned, cheering his wife on. The blonde cyborg returned his cry with a thin smile and a slight flush as she walked out of the wings, into the stadium. Tao Pai Pai, her opponent, was walking alongside her, and they made their way up the steps in silence.  
  
"Go, mommy!" Marron called out to her mother from the stands.  
  
"And here our our competitors! The first is a newcomer, who identifies herself only as Number 18! Female competitors are certainly rare, but not unheard of in the Tenkaichi Budōkai! This will be 18's first time competing in the tournament, but I expect a great deal of promise from her! Walking into the ring next to her is Tao Pai Pai; a return fighter to the tournament! Competing in the 23rd Tenkaichi Budōkai, he was disqualified due to unlawful conduct in the ring! Here's hoping he can perform fairly this time around!"  
  
"Unlawful conduct..." Tenshinhan muttered bitterly from the wings, his arms folded. "That's certainly one way to phrase it. I still have the scar from his 'unlawful conduct'."  
  
"I'd love to say that maybe he's changed," Goku replied, his eyes narrowing as he watched Tao step onto the marble titles. "But Tao isn't the type. Let's just see how it plays out; I'd like to think 18 can handle herself against someone like Tao."  
  
"You certainly gave Vegeta and Piccolo the benefit of the doubt," Krillin dug his elbow into Goku's ribs playfully, to which Goku couldn't help but weakly laugh in reply. He didn't really have any defence for letting two powerful threats live when they could have just as easily come back to kill them all, rather than conform.  
  
Stepping into the ring, the announcer cleared his throat. "Tao, while we're pardoning your earlier offence in the 23rd Tenkaichi Budōkai, the head monks have told me to ask you to surrender any w-weapons you might have on your person before we properly begin the match." Even as he asked the question, it was quite obvious the announcer was uncomfortable being so close to Tao, let alone asking him to give up deadly weapons.  
  
There was a brief pause, and Tao cast the announcer a dirty look — or at least his mouth was raised into a grimace, the robotic eyes he now had made truly conveying emotion nearly impossible — and let out a prolonged sigh. "If you _insist_ ," he replied cheekily. From his sleeves, he pulled several explosive grenades, gas grenades, a few assorted blades and firearms. Popping off his left hand, he removed the retractable blade, and laid them all at the announcer's feet.   
  
"You may clean them away if you wish, or leave them here for the spectating pleasure, it honestly doesn't faze me one way or another," Tao made a sweeping gesture at the pile of weapons on the tile, smirking.  
  
Tenshinhan frowned, but said nothing. Had Tao been planning on utilizing those from the start, or did old habits merely die hard?  
  
"Without any further ado; LET THE MATCH BEGIN!"   
  
Back in the center of the ring, 18 and Tao had already taken their appropriate places. 18 took a fighting stance, spreading both legs apart at opposite angles, angling one arm bent in front of her, and the other just by her head. Her icy-blue eyes stared into the red lens that belonged to Tao.   
  
Tao bent at the knee, extending one leg forward. Resting his right arm at his side, curling it into a fist, he extended his left arm forward. Automatically, the computing devices within his body began to analyze the girl, scanning her body in its entirety. Within two minutes, the scanners had fully analyzed the entirety of her bodily structure. " _My sensors indicate this girl is a cyborg, like myself. 60% bio-mechanical; it seems her skeletal and most of her other bodily systems have been replaced by synthetic parts._ "  
  
"What's the matter, Tao?" The Cyborg woman replied, sounding impatient. "Are you simply too shy to make the first move?"  
  
"Know your enemy, as they say," the former assassin replied, grinning toothily. "I was trying to gain an assessment of your abilities, but my sensors can't detect your power. So I dug a little deeper. Whoever created you was quite a genius. I'd hazard a guess at the infamous Dr. Gero?"  
  
"You aren't the only one who likes to use knowledge of their opponent to their advantage," 18 replied, bitterly biting back a retort towards the Dr. Gero comment. "Dr. Gero collected quite a bit of data on you during your battles with Son Goku and Tenshinhan. My databases have recorded an in-depth understanding of your moves and style of fighting." She sighed. "Though, even without that, I don't think you're going to put up too much of a fight."  
  
"And what makes you say that?" Tao replied snappishly, only to find the palm of a thin hand connect to his face, sending him sprawling across the polished tile of the tournament ring.  
  
"Because I know just how to dismantle an inferior model."   
  
"After a few minutes of heated conversation, the first attack has been launched by Miss Number 18!" The announcer shouted. "And what an attack it was; I didn't even see her move, and then Tao was suddenly flying across the ring! What power! What speed! What a woman!"  
  
"Inferior model...!!?" Tao hissed, standing up in irritation. He wasn't able to feel pain from that blow; it merely connected with part of the machinery that made up 90% of his being. "I've been reconstructed in the past several years since my disgrace at the Tenkaichi Budōkai! I am Neo Cyborg Tao, and with the new techniques I've created, I cannot lose to you now!"  
  
"Upgraded, you say?" 18 replied dryly. "You forget you were temporarily employed by the Red Ribbon Army. Commander Red liked to get background information on his 'clients', and they researched you thoroughly, Tao. You're simply running on Dr. Gero's outdated blueprints."  
  
Tao was letting his composure slip and the fight had barely begun. Unbeknownst to him, 18 was pushing all of his buttons, intentionally goading him. And it was showing. He dashed towards 18, thrusting a kick upwards towards the girl. The blow struck the cyborg's chin, granting Tao the opportunity to land an additional kick to the abdomen, sending her flying.  
  
Spiraling backwards, 18 stopped her movement in mid-air, floating through the power of her artificial _ki_  generator.  
  
"And we've got another competitor who can fly like gravity just doesn't mean a darned thing anymore!" The announcer cried. "I'd stop getting shocked, everyone, because with our line-up of competitors, this is going to be a regular sight for quite awhile!"  
  
Off to the sides, lurking in the corners of the wings, were the two mystery fighters, Spopovich and Yamu. With their faces set on the match, they held up a strange device, a dial, and directed it at the arena. To Spopovich's apparent displeasure, the dial did not move; no sound was made, and no change occurred. The bald, muscular man gawked dumbfounded at Tao and 18's battle. Watching them exchange blows, his frown set deep in his face.  
  
"But...." He looked down at the dial again, "no energy?"  
  
"That is strange," Yamu agreed, "but that simply means they aren't organic, if they cannot produce energy. Master warned us of such a possibility; their energy will not suit his needs."  
  
Back in the ring, Tao and 18 were locked in a fierce exchange of blows. Despite having shown many dirty tricks in the previous tournament, Tao was actually seeming to fight fairly as of the moment; he raised his arm up to deflect a sharp kick from 18. Extending his eyes, they flashed red, shooting two laser beams straight at her collarbone. The blasts hit, singing through the cloth and sending a sharp wave of pain through 18's body.  
  
" _An opening!_ " Tao grinned maliciously, delivering a flurry of open palm strikes to 18's abdomen, winding the beauty. Without hesitation, Tao slammed the base of his palm into her chin, forcing her head upward. Pivoting on his heel, the man sent 18 flying with a sharp kick to the side.  
  
" _I'm actually impressed,_ " Tenshinhan thought, all three of his eyes intently watching the battle. " _Beyond his shameful display earlier, Tao's actually showing something resembling a warrior's pride. It's been 18 years since I last considered him to be a figure worthy of my respect. Did he actually take the time to reflect on his actions? Or is all of this just a farce?_ "  
  
"You're certainly not a bad spot of competition," Tao commended 18, detaching his hand and pointing the nozzle of his personalized arm cannon at her. "But you're no match for this!" The one flaw this technique would have was unique in the case of his opponent; she had no biological readings strong enough for his scanners to detect. He'd have to aim the attack the old fashioned way. A sphere of light, yellow-ish pink, began to form at the nozzle of the cannon.  
  
"An arm cannon!?" Krillin shouted incredulously. "Doesn't that count as a weapon!?"  
  
"No, not quite," Goku shrugged. "It's his arm, and he's merely using it to channel his energy. So long as it counts as part of your body, they can't fault you for it. I fought someone back when I was a kid who was the same way."  
  
"Super Dodonpa!"   
  
With a blinding flash, the sphere expanded into an elongated beam of yellow and pink, tearing across the arena towards Android 18.   
  
"Another blast of energy is barreling down toward Miss Number 18!" The announcer exclaimed.   
  
The force of the _ki_  blast force winds to whip around 18, her pale tresses gently slapping around her face. A thin smile crossed her face, and her icy-blue eyes narrowed. The girl braced herself against the tile of the arena, thrusting both of her hands in front of her. The blast collided with her open palms, pooling into a singular sphere once again; sparks shooting off everywhere, striking the ground like fits of lightning.   
  
Gritting her teeth, 18 lifted the beam upwards, deflecting it and sending it spiraling high into the sky.   
  
This feat shocked Tao enough that the blast petered out and exploded in the air. He looked taken aback, stepping backwards, intimidated by her display of power.  
  
"You called it a 'Super' Dodonpa, right?" 18 inquired, brushing hair lazily out of her eyes. Flexing her fingers to work off the burn from that blast, she began to walk forward towards Tao again. "That's quite a pity. There wasn't much bite."  
  
"I-Impossible...!" Tao trembled, his hand reattaching itself as he stepped back. "To deflect the Super Dodonpa through sheer brute force..."  
  
"Here," 18 raised her hand upwards, spreading her palm and charging a sphere of energy, pink in hue. "I'm not much for naming my attacks, but if I want to ride the bandwagon...I suppose you could call this the Photon Blitz." The sphere exploded in a vibrant flash of light, expelling a long, trailing beam of energy, white, outlined with the same pink hue of the sphere, towards Tao.  
  
Flickering out of sight, Tao took to the skies, making a hurried and panicked retreat.  
  
"I didn't say you could escape!" 18 called, moving her hand in an arc. The energy beam followed, avoiding the ground as it tracked Tao on 18's own orders, bending to the Cyborg's mind.   
  
The beam was faster than Tao, and it quickly caught up to the man. "Haaaaaaaaaah!" With a shout, he unhooked his hand once more, placing the nozzle in front of the tip of the energy beam. Within seconds, the beam bent and flowed into the arm canon, until it was absorbed completely. This display shocked 18, and even the rest of the Z-Warriors were left stunned.  
  
"Since when did Tao upgrade to become an energy absorbing Cyborg?" Goku whistled, almost as if he was impressed. Sure, it wasn't training, but Tao had taken steps to improve himself in some regard, and that was something the Saiyan could appreciate.  
  
"I suppose he's always going to have something hidden up his sleeve," Tenshinhan muttered, watching Tao's performance with disdain.   
  
With the laugh of a man gone wild, Tao turned his free hand towards 18, detaching it and revealing a second nozzle in place of his wrist. "Reversal Wave!" From the nozzle, a beam of energy detonated like a bomb, double the size of the blast 18 herself had released. Yellow-pink in hue, the energy ripped up the tile at it flew towards the blonde Cyborg. Still overcome by surprise, the blast overwhelmed 18, creating a large explosion.   
  
"18's been enveloped in a blast of energy!" The announcer reported. "But perhaps worse, the ring is being destroyed by these energy attacks! Will we even have a ring left by the end of the second match!?"  
  
The smoke began to clear, fading away in the breeze. When the smog had vanished entirely, 18 was revealed, floating in the air over a small crater and outright destroyed portion of the ring. Her clothing was ruffled, but she was perfectly fine, almost entirely unharmed. Brushing the hair out of her eyes, she smiled in a serene way that was disturbing in its calmness.   
  
"Just as I suspected," the Cyborg dusted herself off. "Outdated Red Ribbon Technology, in this case, you're an Energy Absorption Model. You're utilizing nodes in your both of your arms to absorb energy, disassembling the molecules and converting it into a form of power the mechanical body can use. Though, if I'm correct, you directly channeled the absorbed energy from one node to another, layering your own energy on top of the energy you absorbed to boost the power of your energy attack. That was impressive...about seven years ago. But my model is more efficient. I produce limitless energy."  
  
"L-Limitless energy!?" Tao repeated, his scanners deploying as if to confirm the notion, only to be reminded harshly that he was unable to analyze Cyborg 18. "Y-You jest! That has to be a bluff! Such a feat is impossible, even with Dr. Gero's technology!"  
  
"Why don't you test the theory then?" 18 took a stance, clenching her fist to her side. "It's quite obvious neither of our energy attacks are going to affect each other — although I could make the attempt to overload your circuits — so why not switch back to melee?" Smiling coldly, she slid into a stance, raising one hand above her head, with her other still clenched to her side.   
  
Tao was beginning to regret surrendering his weapons at the start of the match. Anything unexpected could give him an edge against this girl, but he had nothing besides his own basic components left. Gritting his teeth, he knew had no choice left but to continue the match.   
  
Both cybernetic opponents crossed the marble tiles, clashing again, meeting the sides of their arms against each other. Tao swiped his metallic hand at 18 in a wide arc; the woman ducked, the hand flying directly over her hand. She struck her palm upwards towards his chin, forcing his head backwards; with a leap, the girl swung her right leg directly into the side of his face, sending him careening backwards.  
  
"And Tao has been sent backwards with the force of powerful blow!" The announcer's play-by-play came loud and clear. "You can feel the pain from here, folks! I would not like to be him right now."  
   
Flipping back onto his feet, Tao looked positively furious. Every ace in the hole was thwarted, his weapons gone, and his patience truly waning. But, far worse than that, was his stunt earlier; absorbing 18's energy had done him no good when he simply reflected it while adding his own energy to it, in the hopes that it would kill her. Because of that, his own energy reserves had drained severely, and they were not replenishing. Simply decreases in stamina drained his energy, but there was no source of energy he could access that wouldn't result in a ring-out.  
  
" _Damn it! Damn it!_ " Tao growled, beginning to lose his composure. " _She has to have a weakness! Every living creature has a weakness!_ " Thrusting his fist forward, he grit his teeth. There was an explosion and his metallic fist launched itself from his wrist towards 18's face. Catching the girl off guard, she was struck directly in the face with metal extension. Moving forward in a blur, Tao re-attached his hand to his wrist, and slid, knocking 18 off her footing.   
  
" _I have to admit, that was unexpected!_ " 18 thought as she flipped back onto her feet, trying to regain her footing. Landing crouched with one hand planted firmly onto the tiles, the girl felt a hard knee strike connect to her abdomen, keeping her hoisted into the air as he leveled several sharp palm blows in quick succession. Whether it was desperation or a sudden spike in fighting spirit, Tao was performing admirably and 18 was simply not putting up a fight in return.  
  
"Tsu-ohhh!" With a mighty shout, Tao thrust his fist forward for the final blow. There was a soft sound of impact; 18's hand had moved in a blur to catch Tao's blow, stopping his finisher with an icy smile.   
  
"So I suppose that's the most you can muster?" She asked, a slight hint of a sneer in her tone. "All of that effort, and you haven't managed to slow me down."  
  
Tao could tell instantly that the woman wasn't lying. Despite all of the physical effort that went into his attacks, and the fact that he knew for a fact each and every one of them connected, 18 wasn't any worse for wear; in fact, it was _he_ , Tao, who was breathing heavily.   
  
Brushing her hair out of her face, the cyborg smiled. "Did you think that my claims of infinite energy were false? My stamina is limitless; physical skirmishes simply do not tire me out. But your reserves are already depleting. I don't need sensors to detect _that_. I think you should simply walk away now. If you don't, I'm going to take you down hard."  
  
"You ask the great Tao Pai Pai to surrender!?" The assassin grit his teeth in fury, wrenching his hand away from the girl. He had one final last resort to dish out; from his sleeve, the assassin popped out a Hoi-Poi Capsule, quickly pressing the button on the top of the Capsule. With an audible _POP!_ , the capsule exploded into a hefty rocket launcher. Hoisting the weapon over his shoulder, Tao began to aim.  
  
The entire crowd began to panic. If Tao improperly aimed that weapon, a good chunk of the stands would be going up in flames.  
  
"W-What's this!?" The announcer called out in panic. "Despite removing all weapons from his person before the match, Tao has produced a Rocket Launcher from this Hoi-Poi Capsule! What a terrible oversight! But, weapons are strictly forbidden for use in the Tenkaichi Budōkai. Tao, you are once again disqualified! Number 18 is the winner!"  
  
"You truly expected me not to have a trick up my sleeve!?" Tao shouted madly, turning away from Cyborg 18 and aiming the rocket launcher directly at the tournament wings, where Son Goku and Tenshinhan were waiting with the other competitors. "If I can't kill those two in front of the crowd like I intended, then I'll get rid of them this way! _Say good-bye, boys!_ " Pulling the trigger, the contraption released its missile in a large burst, firing directly towards the other competitors.  
  
"That cheat!" Goku cried in surprise.  
  
"Conniving bastard...!" Tenshinhan growled, readying himself to deflect the projectile.  
  
But out of everyone, it was Gohan who moved first. In a blur, the Saiyan teenager sprinted forward, catching the rocket in his hands, quickly grounding himself and stopping its flight. Effortlessly, Gohan heaved the powered projectile into the air, where it proceeded to explode with a clap like thunder, shocking the entire crowd with his display of strength and speed.  
  
"I-I-Impossible..." Tao let the rocket launcher slide from his shoulders in surprise. "He blocked...a rocket..." Getting a closer look at his face, Tao took another step back. " _H-He's older...but it's him! That boy I met back near Chazke Village seven years ago...Goku's son!_ " Tao remembered quite clearly when the boy had stopped him from killing that elderly martial artist. After finding out he was Goku's son, the assassin had made a very quick escape.  
  
"Well well well," 18 slowly walked over to Tao's side. "You're disqualified, and your assassination attempts have gone over badly. You couldn't possibly get more humiliated in front of this crowd, could you?"  
  
"W-Why you...!?" Tao rounded on 18, only to be struck hard by a blow to the side of his neck, sending him flying out of the ring and into the hard brick wall adjacent to it, knocking him unconscious.  
  
"Oh wait, I spoke too soon." 18 picked up the rocket launcher, walking out of the ring and tossing the weapon carelessly aside. Having already been declared the winner, and knocking out that careless fool, she didn't have any reason to stay in the ring after all. Walking back into the waiting area, she was greeted by the smiling face of her husband. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Erasa checking Gohan's hands for signs of injury, despite his reassurances to the contrary.  
  
"You did great out there, 18. Not that I doubted you for a second," The former monk grinned. "Though, what was with all that shop talk out there? I haven't heard you sound so threatening since you were still after Goku."  
  
18 smiled, this time a genuine smile that she reserved only for her husband and daughter. "Old habits die hard. Besides, I think an intimation factor goes a long way towards winning a match."  
  
"Let's move on with the next match!" The announcer's voice could be heard, loud and clear in the waiting room. "The third match! SON GOKU VS. VEGETA!"  
  
"...And while we're speaking of intimidation," Krillin cast an aside glance at the two soon-to-be-competitors.  
  
For the first time since the match-ups were announced, Vegeta was finally taking an interest in the proceedings. With his name called, and Kakarot to be fighting him in the tournament right now, this was the chance he refused to pass up. " _Here it is! Finally...I'm going to crush you, Kakarot!_ " Smirking, the Saiyan Prince was the first to leave the wings, leaving Goku behind.  
  
"This really is going to be the match to see," Gohan said, looking at his father carefully. He could already see the excitement forming on his father's face. "Good luck out there, Dad!"  
  
"Yeah," Goku grinned, taking the encouragement from his son to snap him out of his own thoughts. For the first time in years, he would be fighting one-on-one with Vegeta. Just the excitement of the match-up was enough to make his Saiyan blood rush. Clenching his fists, a grin crossed his face as Goku left the waiting room. "Here we go! I'm coming, Vegeta!"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just like always, I really need to apologize for taking way too long to update this chapter. Despite the fact that I wanted to do this chapter, I had a serious case of writer's block for this chapter. It was a certain point, about...half way through the chapter, maybe...that writer's block hit me like Goku hitting Nappa. I actually had to force a lot of the words out . But as far as the chapter went, I actually think it turned out alright. Does anyone actually remember Tao? Because I had fun bringing Tao back for this story; he was always a favorite villain of mine, so I did like bringing him back. The only problem was the obvious writer's block situation. Not just that, I couldn't figure out how to make Tao credibly fight 18.
> 
> In terms of power levels, I'd place Tao somewhere around Cyborgs 19 and 20. So, as you can see, he's well under the level of 18, who was stronger than her 'master' upon basic activation. What was really difficult was getting in character for Tao and 18. I've never written them, ever, so it was a bit...jarring, to say the least. Tao though, was easier than 18. She doesn't emote nearly as much as Tao, so I pulled a bit of a unique twist with her, and made her very sarcastic and stand-offish while fighting; like she was when fighting Vegeta.
> 
> To people curious about why Tao was permitted to compete again, he had a ban from the tournament he was in at that time, it was never stated to be a lifetime disqualification. However, I'm pretty sure he's gonna get one now. Anyway, beyond this, I don't have much to say about this chapter. I will say to look forward to the next chapter, but don't expect a lot. Not that I'm going to be lazy, but I don't want you guys to go into this next match with the highest expectations when you have to remember what arc this is. 
> 
> So here's a fun fact: this is chapter 18. In which 18 fought. And it's apparently been 18 years since Tao last fought in the Tournament. Amusing, isn't it? And this wasn't even intentional. 
> 
> Now! I'm sorry for not updating soon, I'll try to get another chapter up this month, I promise! As always, let's thank Mangetsu20 for proofreading and helping my chapter come to life. I'll see you guys next in, in the next exciting installment of the Erased Chronicles!

**Author's Note:**

> So, here it is guys! The first chapter of the Erased Chronicles! I didn't expect to start it so soon, but I really couldn't wait to jump into it and I can just say I had a LOT of fun writing this chapter up. Let me clear a few things up real quick; to those who don't know, the Room of Spirit and Time is the Japanese term for "Hyperbolic Time Chamber", and that term stuck with me after reading the manga. The same applies to Shénlóng; this was the term used in the English Adaptation of the manga. It's Chinese for "Dragon God", and given Dragon Ball's Chinese themes, I found it more fitting than Shenron or "Shinryu", which would be the Japanese name for the Eternal Dragon. 
> 
> So, here's hoping this series is a success. This is just the prologue everyone, so don't worry! The real story will begin in Chapter 2, so please hang with me until then!!


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